Holes In The Floor Of Heaven
by xxTwitchyxxCharmxx
Summary: FINISHED Sequel 2 FITH: After being married 1 year, Bri & Squid receive threatening letters. Someone from Bri's dark past returns for 1 last stand. Bri's pregnant. Squid finds the truth behind his father's dissappearance. One last stand.
1. One Year Anniversary

Lessons in Life  
  
By: Squid's*Charm  
  
Author's Note: The long awaited sequel to Filling In The Holes. lol. Well uhm, I;d like to give thanks to Talley's friend Mandy for this idea! ^^ Thanks! I was going to write something else but I liked this idea WAY WAY WAY better! Takes place about two years after Brianna graduated from Law School. Squid and Bri have been married for one year now. And yadda yadda... You'll get the point in a minute!!  
  
Disclaimer: *sigh* Here we go again.... I do not own Holes or any of the characters. THat belong to Louis Sachar. NOT ME!!!! I'm also not making any money off this either.  
  
Rating: Probably R... I dunno. R most likely.  
  
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Chapter One: First Year Anniversary  
  
"Alan! I'm home!" shouted Brianna Lyn Smith, coming through the front door. She took off her coat and put it on the coat hanger. She was wearing a black skirt that came around to her knees and a white, dressy shirt. She took off her high heels and went into the living room. Her husband, Alan "Squid" Smith, was sitting at his desk writing somethng down.  
  
"Oh hey," he said, feeling two arms wrap around his neck.  
  
"Whatcha doin'?" she asked.  
  
"Writing my report for my boss at the marine life station."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Squid spun around his chair to face Brianna. She let go off him. "What have YOU been doin'?" he asked her. She smiled.  
  
"I closed another case."  
  
"Which one?"  
  
"Y'know which one. It's about that child abuse case I was workin' on day and night. I'm always a sucker for those types of cases. That boy was hurt terribly," Brianna explained as she leaned againest the wall, eyeing Squid out of the corner of her eye.  
  
"OH yeah," Squid said, digging through his mess of a desk. "You got some mail today." He handed Brianna four envelops and she rolled her eyes. She walked into the living room and turned on the light.  
  
"SURPRISE!" shouted Brianna and Squid's friends in the living room. It was all decorated. Brianna about died.  
  
"Happy anniversary! Ya made it through the first year!" said Shaily, hugging Brianna. Shaily had married Zig Zag about three years ago. They were awaiting their first child. It was going to be born in about four omre months. Shaily had become a fashion designer for her own line of cloths.  
  
"I can't believe you made it through!" Susan squealed out, happily. Susan and Magnet were still engaged. They have been for about four years. They didn't think they were ready for marriage yet. Susan had become a drama teacher for the local high school.  
  
"Man! You really surprised me Bri!" Michelle said hugging Brianna tightly after Shaily had let go. MIchelle and Twitch had been married only three months now. Michelle became a police officer (omg!).  
  
"You guys! I swear!" Brianna said laughing. "Girls, did you plan this?"  
  
"Nope," chorused her friends.  
  
"Then who did?"  
  
She suddenly felt two arms wrap around her waist. She turned and saw Squid. He whispered, "I did." She laughed again and he smiled.  
  
The party went on for hours. It was about eleven o'clock at night when the last people, Shaily and Zig Zag, lef the party. Brianna collasped onto the couch and was laying her head on Squid's lap. She had the four envelops in her hand. "Junk, ooh! This one's from Jason, and Oh! Here's one from Tracy!" Brianna said, giggling. She read Tracy's letter first. All she talked about was that Tracy had gotten her first murder case. Brianna was happy for her. As soon as she finished Tracy she opened Jason's.  
  
"SO what does your lil brother gotta say now?" asked Squid. Brianna shot up form her position laying on Squid's lap. She gasped and turned torward Squid. "What honey?" he asked her.  
  
"This isn't from Jason..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Jason writes a lot neater than this and besides the person wrote that they kidnapped Jason!" Brianna exclaimed. Squid stared at her looking shocked. "I know. They also said Reese was killed... This can't be true...!" Brianna had gotten off the couch and started pacing. "We gotta get to New Orleans! I've gotta see if this is true!" Brianna shouted as she paced. Squid got up and stopped her.  
  
"Alright. I'll try and find a plane that's heading for New Orleans. Alright?" he whispered. "Right now I want you to calm down. This is our first anniversary."  
  
Brianna sighed, "I'm sorry honey... I'm ruining our first anniversary..."  
  
"It's not yer fault sweetie," whispered Squid in her ear. She smiled.  
  
"Thanks," whispered Brianna. He kissed her quickly on the cheek.  
  
"No problem," Squid said softly.  
  
She turned around and stared into those pair of brown eyes that she had grown to love. She ran her fingers through the mop of brown hair on his head. Brianna leaned into Squid as did he. Their lips met until...  
  
KNOCK KNOCK!  
  
Squid broke the kiss and glared at the door. Brianna was laughing. Squid answered the door and found Sherri with her fiancee at the door. "What?" he hissed.  
  
"Oh! Sorry! Did we ruin anything?" asked Sherri. Squid slapped his forehead. "But I left my purse here at the party.. Heehee." Squid let Sherri get her purse. He turned to Brad.  
  
"Sorry about comin' at the wrong time, Alan," said Brad.  
  
"It's alright," Squid muttered although it actually wasn't with him. Soon Sherri went through the door with her purse. "Bye," Squid muttered as he shut the door.  
  
"Alan!" shouted Brianna.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Did you just slam that door in their faces?"  
  
"No! Of course not!" Squid lied. Brianna was yawning. "Are ya tired?" She nodded.  
  
"That case and then this party... Man... I'm worn out. I'm going to bed," Brianna said going off the the bedroom. She shut the door in Squid's face. "No!" she said firmly.  
  
"Damn!" Squid said snapping his fingers.  
  
Brianna changed into one of her silky, white nightgown. She put her other clothes into her hamper and opened the door. Squid came into the room and Brianna collasped face first onto the bed. She had her face buried into her pillow. Squid quickly changed into his pajamas and got down beside Brianna. "What's wrong?" he asked her.  
  
"Tired."  
  
"Tired?"  
  
"Yeah," Brianna yawned. "Tired."  
  
Squid kissed his wife goodnight and reached to turn the light off. When he had, he turned on his side to go to sleep. Brianna had fallen asleep the moment right after he kissed her good night. She was very tired. She hadn't gotten any sleep for days because of the trial. Squid was thinking maybe she should have some time off.  
  
* The Next Day *  
  
It was about four o'clock in the afternoon when Brianna came home. "Alan! I'm back!" There was no answer. She went into the kitchen and found a note. SHe read it, "Emergancey at the marine life station. I'll be home around ten. Love you. Save me some dinner this time." She started laughing. Brianna put her briefcase down onto the kitchen table and found Squid had put out the mail for her.  
  
She smiled as she shuffled through them. "Junk... Junk... Junk..." she said throwing the junkmail into the garbage. "Alan... Alan... Me.... Me..? New Orleans Police Department? What the hell?" Brianna said as she put the other envelops down. The second letter that was for her was from the NOPD? She opened the letter. She only had to read one line before throwing it down. The first line had said:  
  
"Dear Mrs. Brianna Lyn Smith, We regret to inform you of the death of one, Reese Lee Walters."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Charm: How was that? Good? Bad? Something else? Thanks again Mandy for this idea! Mine sound pathetic compared to this!  
  
Squid: Everything you do is pathetic...  
  
Charm: *duct tapes his mouth shut* Heehee! My hobby now. lol!  
  
Shaily: Lalalala.  
  
Charm: Instead of lalalalaing... Why don't you go write your own fanfiction?  
  
Shaily: I dunno.  
  
Charm: *slaps forehead* Omg.... Well R+R!!!! THANKS! 


	2. Revelation

Charm: Lala! I'm on an update frenzy! Whoopee! *starts laughing for no apparent reason*  
  
Squid: O_O;;  
  
Shaily: Too much Mountain Dew...  
  
Charm: WEE! I'm REALLY hyper right now... and OMG DID YOU KNOW BIRDS FLY!  
  
Ziggy: THEY DO!?  
  
Shaily: *slaps her forehead* Omg.  
  
Squid: Errr @.@;;; They scare me...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Two: Revelation  
  
Brianna dropped the letter in shock. She couldn't read it any further. Reese was dead. Now she had to go to New Orleans. She ran to the phone and dialed Squid's cell phone number. It rang three times before he picked it up.  
  
"Hello?" he asked.  
  
"Alan! Oh my God," Brianna cried.  
  
"Bri, honey, what is it?"  
  
"R-R-Reese i-is d-dead," she stuttered.  
  
"WHAT!?" shouted Squid into the phone.   
  
"Reese is dead Alan! Dead! We gotta go to New Orleans now!"  
  
"Alright just calm down Bri," Squid whispered hearing the terror in Brianna's voice. He heard the phone fall from her hand and onto the floor. "Brianna?" he asked. No answer. "Brianna!?" he asked again a little louder. No answer. "BRIANNA!" he shouted.  
  
"Alan... That must mean Jason's..." whispered Brianna. The cold realization hit Brianna like when she was seventeen and on a suicidal streak. This hurt worse than the blade cutting through her skin. Worse than watching the blood splatter onto the ground. Jason was kidnapped.  
  
Memories flashed through Brianna's mind.  
  
* Flashback *  
  
"Mommy! Yer back!" cried out little four year old Brianna Lyn Barlow-Synch. In her mother's arms was a little child asleep. Brianna blinked at the little child in her mother's arms. "What's dat?!" asked Brianna curiously as she pointed to the little child. Her mother laughed.  
  
"It's yer little brother Jason," whispered her mother calmly.  
  
"Ooh! Can I see!" squealed Brianna. SHe wanted to see what a baby looked like. He rmother laughed again and lower the little child in front of Brianna. Brianna giggled as the baby cooed in its sleep. "Mommy! Where's daddy?"  
  
"In the garage. He'll be here in a minute," Brianna's mother said as she walked the sleeping baby boy into the other room. Brianna ran through the house looking for one of her older siblings. "SARAH!!!! MARK!!!!" Brianna said excitedly.  
  
* One Year Later *  
  
"Sarah... Get Jason into the closet ok?" whispered Brianna pushing the door shut. Their father was drunk again. "Hurry!" she hissed in a low voice. Sarah stared at her little five year old sister. She was going to take their father's blows. She was too young, but Sarah did what she was told. Brianna had always taken charge in bad situations. Sarah took Jason from his crib and went into the closet and shut the door.  
  
"WHERE THE HELL ARE YA!" shouted their father with a slur.  
  
Brianna couldn't hold the door open any longer and she fell to the ground as the door slammed into the wall. Her father stared wildly around the room. He found Brianna... Brianna took each strike, hoping her father wouldn't find Jason. She hit the ground. Screams. Blood. Pain. Darkness.  
  
* One Hour Later *  
  
Brianna woke up in her bed with little one year old Jason giggling at the end of her bed. Sarah was wipping blood from Brianna's forehead and crying at the same time. "S-Sarah?" Brianna asked raspily.  
  
"Hush, mom went to get some bandages for you," Sarah whispered.  
  
Brianna smiled slightly and turned her head slightly to see Jason. Tears slicked down her cheeks. Jason. Her little savior. She was going to protect him no matter what.  
  
* End of Flashback *  
  
"JASON!" screamed Brianna.  
  
"Bri! Calm down! Dammit! I'll be home in a little bit ok!" Squid yelled into the phone over Brianna's cries. There was no answer from Brianna only crying. Squid hung up his cell phone. Brianna was in tears now.  
  
How long had it been since she had to worry about her brother?  
  
Years.  
  
Who would do this? Who!  
  
Brianna covered her face in fear of Jason's little life. He was her brother and she would die for him because he was her little savior. She would gladly die for him, but there was another person in this world that would give Brianna second guesses.  
  
Alan.  
  
Whoever was hurting her like this would regret it. They were never going to forget the pain they'll suffer. When you mess with Jason you mess with Brianna... And no one lived to tell the tale who picked on her little brother.  
  
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	3. Alan I'm

Charm: Hey everyone! ^^  
  
Squid: Omg. Not again…  
  
Charm/Shaily/Sherri: *singing if your not the one again*  
  
Magnet: *covers his ears* TURN IT OFF! PLEASE!!!!!!!!  
  
Charm: *glares and then thwaks Magnet* Jerk… Hmph.  
  
Squid: HAHA! LoL!  
  
Charm: --;; Well anyway… Onto the chapter! *rides on the back of a white tiger* WEEEEEEEEE!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Three: Alan I'm…  
  
Brianna wiped the tears from her face. Apart from Jason being gone, Reese being dead, Brianna was getting very sick. She rubbed her head. She felt horrible just out of nowhere. Sure, she was feeling horrible when she found out Jason had been kidnapped but this was a sick feeling. A I-gotta-go-throw-up sick.  
  
"Ugh, this isn't good…" she muttered, sickly. She ran to the bathroom.  
  
***  
  
"Brianna! Honey I'm home!" shouted Squid coming into the house. He left work early just to make sure Brianna didn't do anything crazy. He looked around for her. Usually she would tackle him with a kiss when he would first walk through the door. Why hadn't she? "Brianna?" he asked loudly, walking into the house further.  
  
"Alan! I'm sick!" Brianna groaned from the bathroom.  
  
"What!?" he shouted. God this just wasn't her day. Squid walked up to the bathroom door. "Brianna?" he asked quietly.  
  
"Alan… I think… I need… to go… to the… doctor…" she moaned.  
  
"Why?" he asked her.  
  
"ALAN I'M THROWIN' UP IN HERE!" she cried out. Squid blinked.  
  
***  
  
Alan was sitting in the waiting room of the hospital. Brianna had been in that examination room for some time now. What the hell was going on in there?  
  
***  
  
"Brianna Smith," the doctor said coming back into the examination room. Brianna sat up in her chair. She bit her upper lip in anticipation. The doctor was smiling. But why? "Brianna I now know what is wrong with you…" her doctor said.  
  
"Really?" squeaked Brianna. She was so nervous at that given moment. If she had the flu or something… She was going to be so upset. She wanted to go to New Orleans and find her little brother.  
  
"Yes… Brianna it seems you're…"  
  
"I'm what! I'm what!?" Brianna said unable to keep it inside anymore. She exploded. She was so scared. The doctor stared at Brianna. It wasn't like her to interrupt people unless she was in court. Brianna looked at herself and realized she was standing up. She blushed and sat back down in her seat.  
  
"May I continue?" the doctor asked.  
  
"Uh huh." Brianna said, still blushing.  
  
The doctor looked down at her clipboard and then back up at Brianna. "Brianna, you're…" Brianna leaned forward slightly. "You're pregnant."  
  
"What!?" Brianna said dazed.  
  
"You're pregnant," her doctor repeated.  
  
"P-p-pregnant? I'm gonna have a baby?" whispered Brianna shocked.  
  
"Yes!"  
  
Brianna almost fainted. She stared at her doctor in shock. Her lips broke into a smile. Tears were stinging her eyes. "Oh my God," she whispered only so she could her. The doctor dismissed her and she exited the examination room  
  
***  
  
The door from the waiting room to the examination rooms opened. Squid saw his wife come through the doors. She had a dreamy look on her face. What was wrong? He ran up to her and stared at her. "Brianna… What happened?" he asked. She smiled happily. He stared.  
  
"I'll tell ya when I get home." She whispered dreamily.  
  
The drive home was very silent. Brianna seemed very happy. Squid thought the doctor had given her some sort of medication and she was acting crazy. He offered to drive the way home. He was afraid she was on some sort of medication. When they arrived home Brianna seemed to act as if she was on cloud nine.  
  
"Honey? What is it?" Squid asked her quickly. She kissed him on the mouth. He blinked at her. When they had broken the kiss. She stared into his chocolate eyes.  
  
"Alan… I'm pregnant!" she squealed. Squid's eyes widened in shock.  
  
"You're what!?" he said in disbelief. Was she serious?!!  
  
"We're going to have a baby Alan!" she said happily. "I'm dead serious! Alan I'm pregnant!" Squid looked down at his wife he had been married to for a year. They were going to have their first child. Squid felt tears of joy stinging his eyes. A baby?  
  
"I'm gonna be a dad?" he asked quietly. She nodded her eyes misty with tears as well. Squid smiled down at her and hugged her tightly. She returned the hug.   
  
"I love you," she whispered to him.  
  
"I love you too…" he said his voice shaking. He was on the verge of tears he was so happy. Nothing seemed wrong with this picture to him. He had a wife, and a child was going to come into he world soon. He never felt such an emotion take over his mind as it did now. Brianna was feeling the same way except.  
  
"JASON!" she screamed. "What about Jason?!"  
  
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Charm: How was that? Ooh cliffy again lol. Sorry guys but I kinda like to do that to you so you hafta come back and read. Lol.  
  
Squid: You are sooooooo mean to them.  
  
Charm: Like you're not mean?! Man you crumpled poor Caveman's letter to his mommy… *snicker* Actually that was funny. I HATE Caveman (no offense Kayla and his fans out there) He's a wuss compared to Squiddly!  
  
Squid: Ick! GET AWAY FROM ME!!  
  
Charm: Anyway REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	4. I'm Ok

Disclaimer: I do not own the song "I'm Ok". That song belongs to Christina Aguilera and her record company. NOT ME! I OWN NOTHING! SO NO SUEING! THANX!  
  
Charm: Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't updated in so frickin long. --; I've been grounded from ff.net and still am. --; The way I'm getting my stories up is by my bud Kayla! THANK GOD FOR YOU KAYLA! *gives her a hug and a cookie for being so awesome* Well I got an idea for this song after I received Christina's new CD about a week ago... "I'm Ok" is a very good song talking about abuse. And U can guess how it'll tie into this story... If ur thick reread "Filling in the Holes" and/or "Girls and Guys" to refresh ur memory! ^^  
  
Squid: I'm surrounded by idiots.  
  
Bri: Excuse me?! I AM NOT AN-  
  
Charm: HEY! THAT'S THE WARDEN'S LINE BRI! *thwaks her*  
  
Bri: *glares at charm* Watch it Charm... I know where u live.  
  
Charm: OO;;; EEK! *hides behind Twitch (oh yeah I'm real safe there.. --;)* Oh and btw: I can't exactly remember Bri's mother's name... --; Sad i kno... I htink it's b/c I wrote about her dad so much I either never came up w/ a name for her or I don't remember it. --; So bare w/ me here. ^^ Oh and this gets pretty graphic with abusive flashbacks. I'm finally gonna reveal why Bri's father went from loving her at the age of four to beating her at the age of five.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Four: I'm Ok  
  
It had been two weeks since Brianna and Squid had found out Brianna was pregnant. About one week ago Squid had bought some tickets to fly him and Brianna to New Orleans so she could check on her brother. Brianna really wanted to know wether or not the letters were true. Brianna was spending most of her time at home since there had been no new cases since the last case she took. She was packing her and Squid's things for their trip. They were leaving in two days.  
  
Squid was working a lot lately. He wanted to get his hours in before he left to New Orleans with Brianna. Brianna didn't mind of course. It was his own decision and she had to respect that just like hers to go to New Orleans again. Brianna was now supposedly about a month pregnant now since her doctor had said Brianna was about two weeks pregnant when she was first told. Brianna hadn't told anyone yet. Neither had Squid.  
  
Brianna was watching TV in the livingroom of her home when she heard a knock on the door. Brianna got up and and answered the door and found Michelle, Twitch, Zigzag, and Shaily on her porch. Shaily, of course, was in the front, pounding on the door. Brianna smiled and let her friends into the house. Brianna returned to her seat on the couch and Shaily occupied the place to the left of Brianna and Michelle the other side. Twitch and Zigzag leaned agianest the wall.  
  
"Spill it Bri!" blurted out Shaily.  
  
Brianna blinked. "What're ya talkin' about?" Brianna asked.  
  
"What's been goin' on here lately! Ya hardly ever come out of this house anymore!" growled Shaily.  
  
Brianna laughed. "Oh I haven't told ya guys yet have I?"  
  
"Told us what?" asked Michelle, blinking.  
  
"I'm pregnant... About a month to be exact," Brianna explained.  
  
Michelle and Shaily's eyes widened. Twitch and Zigzag groaned. "OH MY GOD! YAY! ANOTHER BABY SHOWER!" squealed Shaily,from her position on the couch. Brianna stared at Shaily. Maybe she shouldn't've told her. "RRRRRICKY!!! DIDYA HEAR!" she giggled, looking her husband. Zigzag rolled his eyes and nodded, not wanting to hear any more of the subject.  
  
"SHAILY! CALM DOWN! IT ISN'T THAT BIG OF A DEAL!" shouted Brianna, angered by her friend's overreaction. Michelle laughed.  
  
Shaily blushed and sat down. She looked at Brianna with her big blue eyes. "If you ever need someone to talk to come to me. I've got three more month of pregnancy to go... So I know what'll happen... And besides... You're going to drive Alan crazy as the months go on," Shaily snickered. Brianna smiled and glanced at Michelle who had a grin on her face.  
  
Zigzag cleared his throat and everyone looked at him. "What is it Ricky?" asked Shaily, slightly annoyed.  
  
"Can we PLEASE go?!" he grunted. Shaily sighed and nodded.  
  
"I'll see you later. Well... Hopefully before you fly off to New Orleans!" Michelle and Shaily whispered, hugging Brianna. The two left with their husbands close behind. Brianna shut the door and laughed. God did she have some crazy friends?  
  
* Two Days Later *  
  
After sitting on a plane for four straight hours Squid and Brianna finally arrived at New Orleans. Brianna was excited about being back in her hometown and she was also slightly scared. She couldn't wait to see her one of her best friends again. Kayla Marie Lawerence was supposed to meet them at the airport.  
  
"Brianna Lyn Barlow-Synch?" asked a familar voice coming from behind Brianna as Squid picked up their bags. Brianna grinned and turned to see Kayla.  
  
"Oh MY GOD!" Brianna squealed, hugging Kayla tightly. "It's so good to see you!" Kayla hugged her just as tightly and nodded. "But honey... My name's Brianna Lyn Smith now."  
  
"Shit! You done and got married?! Man, I never thought I'd see ya married Bri," laughed Kayla. "So what's new, besides your marriage?" They all started walking and Brianna had three bags in her hands. Squid had three and Kayla offered to take some for Brianna.  
  
Brianna smiled, "COuldya wait 'til we get to yer car, Kaze?"  
  
Kayla nodded and laughed. "Sure."  
  
When they finally reached Kayla's car Squid put all of the luggage into the trunk. They got into Kayla's car. Kayla in the driver's seat, Brianna in the front passanger seat, and Squid stuck in the back. Brianna turned around and kissed him. "Sorry hon, but me and Kaze got a lot to catch up on," She explained to him. He rolled his eyes.  
  
"So what's new with everyone... And you two?" asked Kayla as she started to drive to her home.  
  
"Me and Alan've been married for a year... Zig and Shail have been married for like three and Shail's gonna have their baby in three months. Michelle and Twitch just got married about four months ago. Magnet and Susan have been engaged for about four years I think... And uhm...Sherri's engaged too," Brianna explained.  
  
"Anything else?"  
  
"Yeah... Something REAL big," Squid said, with a grin spreading on his face.  
  
"Ooo! TELL ME!" Kayla squealed.  
  
"I'm pregnant," Brianna said blushing. "A month to be exact." Kayla stared dumbstruck at Brianna. She smiled at Kayla. Kayla's jaw just dropped as she turned back at the road. It quickly turned into a smile.  
  
"Oh my God... Congrats Bri and Squid," Kayla said, containing all her joy inside her. She was driving and didn't want to cause a wreck.  
  
* 30 Minutes Later *  
  
"Hey could we stop here...please." Brianna whispered. Squid and Kayla looked to see the cementary. They understood why and Kayla pulled over. Brianna got out oof the car and was followed by Squid. She walked up and down the rows until she found the tombstone she had wanted to find. It read:  
  
Sheena Lyn Barlow-Synch.  
  
Brianna sighed and ran her fingers down the pink marble tombstone with her mother's name ingraved in it.  
  
//Once upon a time there was a girl//  
  
//In her many years she had to learn//  
  
Tears stung Brianna's eyes as she ran her fingers across the tombstone. "Mom..." she whispered. Squid sighed and decided Brianna was better off being alone for this. Brianna watched him leave, smiling. It was scarey how he could read her mind like that. Her gaze returned to her mother's tombstone. "I'm so sorry..."  
  
* Flashback *  
  
//How to grow up living in a war she called home//  
  
"GOD DAMMIT! YOU SHUT UP WHEN I'M SPEAKING TO YOU!" shouted Daniel Synch as he struck his wife. Brianna watched from her bedroom door. Fear burning in her eyes.  
  
//Never noticed the shelter from the storm//  
  
Brianna watched the fear flash across her mother's face. Her father's fist striking her across the face. Brianna wanted to cry. She shouldn't've seen this at her young age of five. Blood splattered againest the wall.  
  
//Hurt me to see the pain across my mother's face//  
  
//Everytime my father's fist would put her in her place//  
  
Five year old Brianna glanced at the clock on the wall. It was about eleven at night. Tears fell silently down Brianna's face. Her sister Sarah was behind her equally frightened by her father. Mark, being the oldest, was in the room with the girls and had Jason in his arms. He tried to comfort all of them but Brianna wouldn't stop watching the pain being inflicted on her mother.  
  
//Hearing all the yelling//  
  
//I would cry up in my room//  
  
//Hoping it would be over soon//  
  
Blood hit the walls. Screaming from her mother could be heard. Sarah was sobbing. Mark calming Jason down. Brianna was the only one who couldn't be heard. Her tears were silent but they were real. She never made a sound, but that wasn't what mattered. Her tears were still real.  
  
* End of Flashback *  
  
Brianna's tears fell to the grass. The pain she endured was nothing compared to her mother's. But Brianna knew that was a lie. Her mother had told Brianna when she was younger that she had went through more pain in watching then receiving. Brianna also still had a scar from a curling iron her father had caused. But Brianna still believed no matter what her mother recieved more beatings than herself. Brianna once heard a song on the radio about abuse. She couldn't remember the entire song but she knew the chorus. She slowly whispered,  
  
//Bruises fade father but the pain remain the same//  
  
//I still remember how you kept me so afraid//  
  
//Strength is my mother for all the love she gave//  
  
//And every morning that I wake I look back at yesterday//  
  
//I'm ok//  
  
* Flashback *  
  
"Oh Brianna! Where the hell are you!?" slurred her father's drunken voice.  
  
Brianna was hiding in her room. She had climbed into her closet. Her father was drunk. When he was drunk he was voilent. She was so afraid of him. Sarah was hiding in the closet as well, but further back since she had Jason in her hands. Mark was never struck by his father, nor Sarah or Jason. It was always Brianna.  
  
"GET OUT HERE GOD DAMMIT!" roared her father's voice. Brianna slowly climbed out of her closet knowing if he found her hiding her beatings would be worse. Brianna came out of her room and looked up into her father's glossy drunken eyes. He smirked. "There ya are ya whore," his voice hissed, his slur getting more notable.  
  
//Everyone wondered why I carried all this guilt//  
  
//When it's you who helped me put up all these walls I've built//  
  
"Ya know what..." her father rumbled looking down at his daughter's young face. "I hate you. I HATE YOU!" He swung the glass beer bottle at his daughter's head but she ducked. She soon found out that was a mistake.  
  
//Shadows stir at night through a crack in the door//  
  
//Echo of a broken child screaming//  
  
//"Please no more"//  
  
Crying, Brianna forced herself onto her knees and then to her feet again. She wasn't letting her father win. She took hit after hit. Blood running down her mouth from her teeth cutting into her cheeks from his fists' furry. Her cheeks bright red with hand marks across them. Brianna was wishing she was dead at that very moment. Her father was growing bored with just hittings now. "I HATE YOU!" he roared as he hit one last time so she fell to the kitchen floor. Blood spilled out of her mouth.She tried to push herself up. Her father kicked her in the stomach.  
  
"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HOPE YOU DIE! I HATE YOU!" he shouted over and over as Brianna took strike after strike.  
  
//Daddy don't you understand the damage you have done?//  
  
//For you it's just a memory//  
  
//But for me it still lives on//  
  
"It's because of you... girl!" hissed her father. She was hardly ever called Brianna by her father. The only time he did that was when he was about to beat her. "It's your fault! Ya hear me! You! It's all you!" her father took another swig of his beer. She cried. Tears slicking down her face, mixing with her blood on the kitchen floor. Her father sneered and lifted her up off the floor. He held her againest the wall.  
  
"You wanna know why I hate you..." Brianna remained silent. She knew she wasn't to answer him. Even a slight nod would set her father off. "I hate you because yer the one causing us to go into money trouble... Everything's about you... from yer bitch of a mother..." His voice was extrememly slurred at this point. Brianna took every word as a strike to the face. "If it wasn't for YOU I wouldn't have ANY trouble! I wouldn't hafta work so much if it wasn't for you! IT'S YOU FUCKING FAULT!" Brianna was thrown againest the wall on the other side of the room. She hissed in pain but dared not move.  
  
//Bruises fade father but the pain remain the same//  
  
//I still remember how you kept me so afraid//  
  
//Strength is my mother for all the love she gave//  
  
//And every morning that I wake I look back at yesterday//  
  
* End Of Flashback *  
  
Brianna covered her face in tears as she thought of hearing those words from her father's mouth. If it wasn't for her... It was her fault.... She was only five! How could any of that be her fault. It was his own fault for wasting money on beer and liquior. His own fault! How dare he blame the money crisis on her!  
  
//It's not so easy to forget//  
  
//All the lines you left upon her neck//  
  
//When I was thrown againest cold stairs//  
  
//And everyday I'm afraid to come home//  
  
//In fear of what I might see there//  
  
Squid came up to Brianna, realizing how long she had been there. It had been too long. He kneeled down next to her. "Brianna..." he whispered. She turned and threw her arms around his neck. "Shhh," he said in her ear. "He can't hurt you anymore."  
  
"Alan...He..." she stuttered.  
  
"Take yer time."  
  
"He blamed me... He hated me because he said I was causing money troubles when I was five... It was his own! He wasted all our money on liquor or beer... He blamed ME for it!" she cried into his shoulder. Squid stroked her hair. "Alan... Don't EVER EVER let me drink... Please," she whimpered, afterward. He nodded and she smiled weakly. "Thanks."  
  
"No problem," he told her. He reassured her with a kiss on the mouth. Brianna broke the kiss and turned to the tombstone once again. She whispered the lyrics again.  
  
//Bruises fade father but the pain remain the same//  
  
//I still remember how you kept me so afraid//  
  
//Strength is my mother for all the love you gave//  
  
//And every morning that I wake I look back at yesterday//  
  
//I'm ok//  
  
Squid helped her to her feet. She smiled. "I love you Alan."  
  
"I love you too," he replied as they headed back to Kayla's car.  
  
//I'm Ok//  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Charm: I toldya it was graphic. Atleast one of the most graphic things I've written I think.  
  
Squid: Omg.. That as just depressing.  
  
Charm: Yeah so I need something to make me laugh now... Hmmm OOOO! ZIGGY!!!  
  
Zig: What?  
  
Charm: *gives him a lighter* HERE!  
  
Zig: @.@ LIGHTER! BURN BURN BURN! BURNINESS!!! WOOHOO! *goes to set random things like my high school on fire (YAY)*  
  
Charm: Yep that helped! ^^ REVIEW! THANX! 


	5. Facing the Past one Last Time

Charm: Lalala. I wanted to work on this b/c i was reading one of Juvey-D's ficcys and wanted to update. lol  
  
Squid: w/e.  
  
Charm: Are you EVER supportive!?  
  
Squid: uhm lemme think....NO!  
  
Charm: JERK!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Five: Facing The Past One Final Time  
  
"Damn!" shouted Kayla. She was trying to unlock the door to her house. It wasn't working. Brianna stared at her. "What?" snapped Kayla, glaring.  
  
"Are ya sure that's the right key?" Brianna asked. Kayla stopped and looked at the key she was using and sighed. She switched keys and finally got her door open. Brianna laughed. Bri felt dizzy suddenly. "Oh hold on... Lemme sit down..." Brianna whispered. Kayla helped Brianna to the couch and let Brianna sit there for a while. Squid was stuck with bringing in the bags.  
  
"Squid, d'you need any help?" asked Kayla. Squid glared and she smiled back sheepishly. "OY! STANLEY! GET DOWN HERE!" shouted Kayla up the stairs. Caveman came running down the stairs. He stared at Squid. Kayla rolled her eyes. "Stanley! I told ya they were comin' here!" grumbled Kayla. Caveman blinked and was thinking of when this happened.  
  
"Oh yeah! I remember now!" Caveman said, laughing.   
  
"Help Squid with the bags..."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I said so now move!"  
  
Caveman sulked and went to help Squid with carrying the luggage into the house. They both were complaining endlessly. Brianna and kayla were both sitting on the couch lost in conversation. After the two boys had finished bringing the luggage into the house they both sat down. Squid sat next to Brianna and Caveman beside Kayla. Kayla told Caveman about everything that was going on in San Fransisco. "And Bri's pregnant." Kayla said lastly.  
  
"What?!" Caveman gapped. He turned to Brianna. "Your... Pregnant?!"  
  
"Yeah. Why's it such a big frickin' deal?" asked Brianna smugly. Squid glared at her. "What?!" she snapped.  
  
"Bri... C'mere or a second..." Squid said, pulling her to a secluded area.  
  
"What Alan!" she groaned. He stared at her angrily. "Oh my God! Don't even start..."  
  
"Bri! Behave yerself! Everyone's just so happy that yer gonna have a baby! Now stop whining out there!" Squid scolded. Brianna rolled her eyes but something didn't seem right. She started feeling dizzy again. Brianna leaned againest the wall and slid down until she sat on the floor. Squid blinked and sat beside her. "What's wrong?" asked Squid, souding concerned.  
  
"Dizzy spell," whispered Brianna, rubbing her forehead.  
  
"You gonna be ok?"  
  
"Yeah I'll be fine. Don't worry about it."  
  
"Are ya sure?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Ok then!"  
  
Brianna rolled her eyes and sighed loudly. Her head was killing her. She just felt horrible. "I'm gonna go lay down," whispered Brianna. Squid got a nervous look on his face as he watched Bri go into the guest room. He followed. "What now?" she moaned when she saw Squid standing there in the doorway.  
  
"You don't look so good," Squid pointed out. Brianna stared coldly.  
  
"Oh thanks Alan. Yer such a wonderful husband... God," she snapped, glaring at him. Squid came up to her and kissed her lightly on the mouth. She quickly pulled away and turned around.  
  
"Bri,' asked Squid. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I'm gettin' really nervous about this baby." she admitted.  
  
"What? Why?" asked Squid, coming up behind Brianna and placing his hands on her shoulders. Brianna wouldn't answer. "Baby, tell me."  
  
"I can't." she whispered.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Too many memories..." Squid knew right then and there what she was refering to. Her fahter. Her abusive father. He may be dead and buried but he still haunted Brianna day and night. Squid knew now what she was nervous about. She was afraid of being like her father.  
  
"Baby," Squid whispered, now putting his arms around her waist and resting his chin againest her shoulder. "You'll never be like yer dad. You never have and ya never will," whispered Squid into her ear. She smiled slightly and turned around to face Squid. He grinned at her, childishly. Brianna laughed and kissed her husband on the mouth.  
  
"I love you." she told him.  
  
"I love you too."  
  
* One Week Later *  
  
"GOD DAMMIT! THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!" shouted Kayla, annoyingly. Everyone stared at her like she was crazy. Kayla smiled sheepishly and sighed. They were out looking for where Jason could be.  
  
"How frickin' hard is to find this kid?!" moaned Caveman.  
  
"Too hard for me," admitted Squid.  
  
"Very funny you two," muttered Brianna. Squid kissed her lightly on the cheek and they kept on driving. "Ok.. We hafta go over here! NO! STANLEY! YOU MISSED THE TURN!"  
  
"Oops..." Caveman whispered. Kayla rolled her eyes. Squid smirked.  
  
"D'you realize we sound like we're tennagers again?" pointed out Squid.  
  
"Thank you for that wonderful insight....SQUID.... Now keep driving!" Brianna mumbled.  
  
"Very cute, honey."  
  
"Alan Smith, don't start with me today... I have a headache."  
  
"Yeah well I have a migrane and it's you." blurted out Squid. Uh oh. The return of his big mouth.  
  
"ALAN!"  
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
"Oh my God..." Brianna groaned. Brianna looked around outside of the car as they drove along the streets of New Orleans. She couldn't believe this. Where was Jason!? It hit her. "STOP!" Brianna shouted.  
  
"What?" chorused everyone in the car, looking at Brianna. She slowly stepped out of the car with Squid soon following. Kayla and Caveman decided to follow the suit as well.  
  
"Bri? What's goin' on?" asked Squid, gently. Bri didn't say a word but started walking down a dark, alley. Kayla frowned. "What?"  
  
"This is still Scorpion territory... Mad Dog..." whispered Kayla, nervously.  
  
"BUT I THOUGHT HE WAS DEAD!" yelled Squid, loudly.  
  
"You think just a stab in the stomach could destory my ex-boyfriend, Alan? No. Mad Dog's too strong for that. Too obsessed with gettin' me back. Too crazy to give into death," explained Brianna.  
  
"You forgot too in love with his one and only to let her go..." hissed a familar, drawling voice. It was from behind Brianna. She paled. Brianna turned to see Mad Dog's face His dark blue eyes flashing dangerously in what little sunlight was coming into the alley. "Hello Charm..." His southern accent chimmed. He hadn't changed since she had seen him last.  
  
"Where's Jason!" demanded Brianna. Squid came closer to her in case Mad Dog tried to hurt her. "Out with it, Marcus... I know ya know!"  
  
"Maybe I do... Maybe I don't..." he smirked. He apporached Brianna and she backed away running into Squid. "Ya still with this pretty boy?"  
  
Brianna twitched, "Don't ya dare make fun of Alan, bastard." Mad Dog slowly placed his hand on her cheek. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" Brianna screamed, kicking Mad Dog in the legs.  
  
"OW YOU BITCH!" Mad Dog shouted angrily.  
  
"DON"T YOU YELL AT HER! BASTARD!" Squid yelled back angrily.  
  
"Make me ya pretty boy loser."  
  
"STOP IT!" screamed Brianna. "Marcus, tell me where Jason is."  
  
"Only if ya come back to me."  
  
"I'm not coming back to you unless ya tell me where Jason is."  
  
"C'mon, sweetheart..." Mad Dog whispered, smoothly putting his arms around her waist. "Ya know you love me." She shoved him away.  
  
"GET AWAY AND GOD DAMMIT! TELL ME WHERE JASON IS RIGHT NOW!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Charm: Review since I'm too lazy to write anything here except...  
  
U.H.F!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! U H F!!!!!!!!! UNITED HOLES FANS!!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!! 


	6. One Little Secret and Breaking Free

Charm: Hey everyone! I'm gonna update this already! WOW! Well Uhm. I'm kinda not hyper right now and my Museys are asleep. --; So I've gotta get right to the chapter lol! ^^  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Six: One Little Secret and Breaking Free  
  
"MARCUS! PLEASE! LET JASON GO!" screamed Brianna, tearfully. If anything had happened to her baby brother she would just kill herself. Mad Dog's eyes flashed dangerously and smirked at her. Brianna looked away out of pure habit. Every time he looked her in the eyes she would looks away, just like when she was a member of his gang. Never look him in the eyes. He knew fear in another's eyes. He knew her fear. He knew everything about her. Everything.  
  
"Mad Dog, ya heard her! Let Jason go!" shouted Squid. He couldn't understand why Brianna refused to look Mad Dog in the face. "Bri?" Squid asked, softly.  
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Whaddya talkin' about?"  
  
"Ya won't look up."  
  
"She won't look at me. I know her fear. Every time she looks into my eyes she'll remember that day." Mad Dog hissed, smirking at Squid. "I took something she'll never get back."  
  
"You bastard," growled Squid. Brianna whimpered.  
  
"I hurt her. Ya should've seen it. Ya think she's so strong. I saw the pathetic, useless, crybaby beneath her exterior," Mad Dog added, without any knowledge of Squid's comment. Squid glared at Mad Dog.  
  
"You say one more word and I'll-!"  
  
"Don't, Alan. He's not worth yer time," whispered Brianna. "Besides, this is my fight. Not yers." Squid glanced at his wife and gave her a look of disbelief. Brianna smiled reassuring at him and said, "I can take care of myself, Alan. Trust me. This is my fight."  
  
"Sure it is, Charm," Mad Dog's cold voice, rang throughout the alley. "Here's yer pathetic blood relative." A red head male came out with a younger brunette boy, fighting desperately against the red head.  
  
"JASON!" screamed Brianna. The brunette looked up and his innocent gray eyes flashed with happiness and at the same time terror.  
  
"BRI!" Jason shouted. His voice was so much older. He looked like their mother. Brianna's heart almost stopped, realizing this. Their mother, he looked just like her.  
  
Mad Dog approached Brianna and circled her, running his fingers through her hair. "You've grown a lot since I saw ya when ya were seventeen, darlin'," his drawling voice hissed in her ear, sending shivers done her spine. She refused to look him in the face. "Charm, stop lookin' away. Y'know ya can't run anymore." Brianna's anger grew. "Besides isn't yer drunk, abusive, father still haunt you? Now about yer mother's screams? Or yer Sarah ditchin' ya? Mark's death.? La Cajun Cinq might have an idea who killed yer brother Mark. Didya track Diamond down and ask her? She did Charm. Shot and killed him, just for me. His blood is on her hands. How about me Charm? Have ya thought about me any? I bet ya do. My eyes? That day? Hmm?" he asked while circling her. Memories flashed through her mind. She felt the terror fill her body.  
  
Her father.  
  
Mark's death.  
  
Sarah running away.  
  
Her mother.  
  
Mad Dog raping her.  
  
Faking her death.  
  
Scorpions.  
  
La Cajun Cinq.  
  
"Come now darlin'," hissed Mad Dog, with a deadly smirk on his face. "Y'know ya can fight anymore." Mad Dog stood behind her and placed his hands directly on the sides of her waist. "There's one thing ya never told anyone. No one, but me. D'you remember?" Brianna paled, remembering the one thing she had pushed from her mind and her memory.  
  
"SHUT UP!! THAT WASN'T MY FAULT GOD DAMMIT!" Brianna cried out.  
  
Too many memories flashed through her mind. Too many. She was going to crack. Drugs, pain, suffering, rape, shoplifting, abuse, her family, her gang, and one little secret which had never crossed her mind since she was fourteen.  
  
"Whatever happened to my child?" asked Mad Dog.  
  
"WHAT!?!" bellowed Squid.  
  
"BRIANNA!" gasped Kayla.  
  
"It wasn't my fault," she whispered.  
  
"HOW CAN THAT NOT BE YER FAULT!?" Squid shouted, angrily.  
  
"Easy. That baby is what resulted from Mad Dog raping me."  
  
Mad Dog smirked at Squid. "Yeah," Mad Dog said, grinning. He turned to Brianna. "What happened to it?"  
  
Brianna sighed. "Abortion. You think I wanted to have a child when I was fourteen because my asshole ex-boyfriend raped me?!" screamed Brianna, tears falling silently down on her face. Squid came up to Brianna and wiped away her tears. "I should've told ya, Alan, but I blocked it from my mind. I didn't want to remember that. No way."  
  
"It's ok," whispered Squid. Brianna shook her head. "It is. I promise."  
  
Mad Dog snorted, "Look. Bri's pretty boy boyfrien-,"  
  
"Husband. Ya wanna call me a pretty boy then make sure it's husband not boyfriend," Squid grinned at Mad Dog. Mad Dog looked over at Brianna.  
  
"Y-you married h-h-him?!" Mad Dog whispered, backing against the wall. Brianna looked at Mad Dog, his face looked different. He had never looked the way he did now, before.  
  
"Marcus?" Brianna asked, tenderly. He looked away. Brianna realized Squid had hit a deadly nerve in Mad Dog.  
  
"Is it true?" asked Mad Dog's voice. His voice sounded hurt.  
  
Brianna extended her arm and revealed her golden wedding ring to Mad Dog. He stared at it and then in Brianna's face. He couldn't believe this. "I'm a month pregnant with Alan too," whispered Brianna. Mad Dog stared blankly. His navy blue eyes flashing dangerously. Brianna looked down to the pavement. Don't look him in the eyes, she kept telling herself. Never let Mad Dog see the fear. He used that to his advantage. He was good at that.  
  
"BRIANNA LYN BARLOW-SYNCH YOU LITTLE SLUT!" Mad Dog roared, striking her in the face. Brianna took the hit across the face without a sound. She was used to worse.  
  
"DON'T HIT HER! AND DON'T YA EVER CALL HER A SLUT! I'LL KILL YA IF YA DO!" growled Squid, angrily. Brianna slowly moved away from Mad Dog and to Squid. She stared lovingly into his eyes. A smile crept along her face.  
  
"I love you," she whispered to Squid. He smiled down at her. Mad Dog watched in horror realizing he could never get Brianna back now.  
  
"I love you too," Squid whispered.  
  
Mad Dog kicked the wall and pulled out a handgun. He put one single bullet into it. He brought the barrel to his temple. If he couldn't have Brianna, he didn't have a reason to live. Brianna looked toward Mad Dog and gasped. "MARCUS DON'T!" she cried out. Squid stared at her. How could she be doing this?  
  
Mad Dog gazed into Brianna's emerald eyes, lovingly. "If I can't have ya. It's pointless for me to live in this world. I want ya more than anyone and ya've moved on, without me." He paused. "I'm sorry for everything Brianna. It's my entire fault. I love you, no matter what or where I am, Je vous aime." With that there was a gunshot. Blood spattered against the wall in the ally.  
  
"MARCUS!" screamed Brianna. "Jesus Christ!"  
  
Brianna ran to Mad Dog and kneeled down against his limp, dead body. Blood oozed out of the gunshot wound he inflicted upon himself. Tears filled her eyes. Sure she hated him but she did love him a long time ago. Some feelings never leave. Mad Dog's never left which drove him to obsession.  
  
Squid came over to Brianna and put his arms on her shoulders. "Bri, let's go." He said simply.  
  
"NO!"" she cried. Squid knelt beside her and kissed her neck, then her cheek and then her mouth. She turned to him and cried into his chest. "I can't believe him! He's such a dumbass. Mad Dog! "Dammit!" she cried, her voice muffled. Brianna cried. Sure, she hated Mad Dog, but she put that aside for this brief moment. She loved him once. And that'll stay with her forever. She didn't love him now, but she had, and that memory of her love for him would stay with her for the rest of her life.  
  
"I CAN'T BELIEVE YA!" screamed Brianna.  
  
"Bri, honey, calm down! It's ok! I promise!" Squid whispered to her assuring to Brianna. Her tears flood down her face. Brianna couldn't believe how stupid Mad Dog was for shooting himself, just because he couldn't have her.  
  
"DAMN HIM!"  
  
"Bri-"  
  
"SO STUPID! IDIOTIC! MORONIC! RETARDED! MENTAL! LUNATIC!"  
  
"Brianna I-"  
  
"HOW STUPID CAN HE BE! OH GOD! MORON! STUPID! STUPID!"  
  
"BRIANNA!" shouted Squid, frustrated. Squid made Brianna look him in the face. Her eyes were glossy with tears. She looked slightly shocked at him for yelling but didn't say a word. "Baby, I know yer hurtin' but ya hafta realize. This is the same guy who hurt ya when ya were fourteen."  
  
"I know, but I can't help it."  
  
"I know sweetie. I know." Squid whispered. He gently brushed his lips against Brianna's lips. Tears were forming in her eyes. "I know I can't understand everything ya went through. But. Bri, I love ya. More than anyone. That's one thing, I CAN promise ya."  
  
Brianna threw her arms around Squid and cried instantly. "I love ya too, Alan," cried Brianna. Squid put his arms around her and held her tightly against himself. "Don't ever leave me, Alan. Please."  
  
"I won't," Squid whispered. "I promise."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Charm: How was that?  
  
Soda: *yawning* What? *confused *  
  
Charm: oyyyy  
  
Squid: HEY EVERYONE! ^^  
  
Everyone: OMG!  
  
Squid: ^^ I'M HYPER!  
  
Twitch: *watching cars go by* I want that one and that one and that one and OH! MUSTANGS! WEEE! *goes to hotwire it *  
  
Charm: --;;;;;;;;;; JUST REVIEW BEFORE I LOOSE WHAT'S LEFT OF MY SANITY! 


	7. Baby Names and A Coma

Charm: Hey Everyone! ^^ Ok well I'm updating this story yet again. I'm so shocked right as to how many updates i'm doing on this fic! @@;;; omg... right now while i write this i'm writing 2 fics at once... oyyyyyyyyy.  
  
Squid: Why th hell are ya doin' that for?!  
  
Charm: B/C! NOW SHUT UP!  
  
Squid: FINE!  
  
Charm: *pats squid on the head* GOOD BOY!! ^^  
  
Squid: --;  
  
Charm: ONTO THE CHAPTER! AWAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Seven: Baby Names and A Coma  
  
"ALAN! NO! THAT'S THE DUMBEST NAME I'VE EVER HEARD OF!" shouted Brianna, angrily to Squid. He grinned at her which got her to stop yelling at him. "We are not about to name this baby, Squid..." Brianna added, flatly. Everyone except Squid started to laugh. They were still in New Orleans and they had found Jason who was now living with Kayla and Caveman.  
  
"Ok ok... How about... uhm..." Squid said trying to think of another name for the baby.  
  
"Wait... Shouldn't ya wait until y'know what the baby'll be?" asked Kayla, suggestively. Squid and Brianna both glared which shut Kayla up.  
  
"Bri... what d'you want? A boy or a girl?" asked Squid.  
  
"A girl," replied Brianna. Squid groaned. "What!?"  
  
"I want a boy!" he whined.  
  
"GIRL!"  
  
"BOY!"  
  
"GIRL!"  
  
"BOY!"  
  
"GIRL!"  
  
"BOY!"  
  
"GIRL!"  
  
"BOY!"  
  
"GIRL!"  
  
"BOY!"  
  
"BOTH OF YA SHUT UP!" shouted Jason over his sister and brother-in-law's voice. Kayla and Caveman started laughing again as Brianna and Squid calmed down.  
  
"I still want a boy," Squid added, smugly.  
  
"ALAN!" scowled Brianna.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
Brianna smiled slightly at her husband. God this was going to be a long nine months at the rate they were going right at that moment. Squid sighed, trying to think of some good names. "Alan, you can come up with boy names and I'll come up with girl names ok?" suggested Brianna. Squid smiled and kissed Brianna lightly on the cheek.  
  
"I like Alan..."  
  
"ALAN!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh my God," moaned Brianna, hitting her head lightly against the table everyone was seated at. Squid stared blankly.  
  
He looked at everyone and asked, "What? What I say?" Everyone rolled their eyes and went back to thinking up more names.  
  
"Let's see I like the name Raja Cathline and Rose Nicole!" exclaimed Brianna.  
  
"Raja? What kinda name is Raja?" asked Squid, loudly and sarcastically. Brianna slapped him in the back of the head. "OW!"  
  
"It's a very pretty name!" retorted Brianna, triumphiantly. Squid glared at her and doctored the back of his head, where she had hit him. Brianna sighed and kissed him lightly on the mouth. "Sorry, honey," she whispered to him. He kissed her back soon after.  
  
"Ooo! How about Alan-"  
  
"If ya say Jr. I'll slap ya!"  
  
"No... i wasn't... Alan Mitchell!" Brianna thought for a moment about that name. Alan Mitchell Smith? Hm. Sounded good to her. She smiled brightly at Squid and kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"I like it!" she whispered to him, trilling slightly.  
  
"Good."  
  
"Thank God..." moaned everyone else in the room. Brianna and Squid glared deathly at everyone. Jason took a glance at the clock which read, one o'clock in the morning.  
  
"Very cute guys," mumbled Brianna. Her cell phone rang. She took a brief look as to who it was and gasped. She turned on her cell and said, "Hello? Oh my God! NO WAY! How could she have it now?! Oh my God! How far? We'll be there as soon as we can ok? Tell her to stay calm... NO! MICHELLE! DON'T BE STUPID! Michelle! C'mon this is serious! Alan and I'll be back ASAP! 'K? Ciao!" Brianna turned off her cell and looked at Squid almost looking terrified.  
  
"What's wrong, Brianna?" asked Squid.  
  
"Shail's in labor... Her baby's gonna be three month's premature! She wants me back in San Francisco now... We hafta go..." Squid stared dumbfounded.  
  
"She's having the baby now?!"  
  
"YES!" cried Brianna.  
  
"Dammit, alright... I'll hurry and pack and-"  
  
"I'll see if I can get tickets... I know I know!" Brianna said whipping her cell phone back out again. She called the airport to see if she could get tickets.  
  
* About Five Hours Later *  
  
Brianna and Squid had just arrived home and they didn't even bother stopping at their house. Squid had driven straight to the hospital. They rushed in looking for Michelle or somone familar. "BRI! SQUID!" shouted Sherri, running up to them. "Bri, oh God, it's not lookin' good for both Shail and the baby... She's not in labor just yet but the contractions are killin' her.... SHe's been screamin' for ya to come back..."  
  
"What else?" asked Brianna, wanting the whole truth.  
  
"There's a high chance she'll hemerage and go into a coma," whispered Sherri.  
  
"Damn," cursed Brianna. "Am I allowed to see her?" Sherri nodded and pointed out the room Shaily was in. Brianna went ahead and went inside. "Shai!?" cried out Brianna, running to her side.  
  
"Hey Bri... Sorry I had to ruin yer trip..." Shaily winced.  
  
"It's ok. I promise..."  
  
"God... This hurts so bad."  
  
"Yer gonna be ok... I promise."  
  
Shaily smiled before screaming in pain. "Shail, honey, it's ok...." whispered a deep voice from Shaily's other side. It was Zigzag. "Hey Bri," he said, glancing up at her. Brianna smiled.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"GOD FUCKIN' HELL!" cried out Shaily, screaming. "IT'S NEVER GONNA BE OK RICKY! DAMMIT!" Shaily had tears forming in the norners of her eyes. A doctor soon came into the room.  
  
"She's almost ready... Just about a centimeter more for her dialation... and we can prep her for delievery," the doctor explained. Shaily was screaming in pain. "But the thing is this baby's gonna hafta be at the hospital longer than normal because of the prematurity..."  
  
"Right," Zigzag whispered.  
  
"And we'll hafta pay close attention to Shaily here..."  
  
"Right," repeated ZIgzag. He had a strangely worried look on his face.  
  
* Two Hours Later *  
  
It was five in the morning (remember new orleans is on central time there's a 2 hour diff) and Brianna and practically everyone else who was a friend of Shaily or Zigzag were waiting anxiously for hte news. Brianna was sitting next to Squid, on the couch, half asleep against his shoulder in the waiting room. Squid had his head laying against hres and was asleep. MIchelle was with Twitch sitting on the floor watching the TV nervously. X-Ray and Armpit had gone off to see if they could find somting to eat. Magnet and Susan were off at the gift shop, to take their mind off everything. Sherri and Joey (her fiancee) were sitting next to Squid and Brianna on the couch, asleep.  
  
Magnet and Susan returned about fifteen minutes later and sat on some chairs. X-Ray and Armpit returned five minutes after Magnet and Susan. They sat down on the floor. Finally the delievery room door opened. The doctor came out and apporached everyone who was with Zigzag and Shaily.  
  
"Ricky and Shaily Kasch have an amazingly healthly baby girl. Weighing about six and a hlaf pounds and is about nine inches. She's lucky to have survived so far with this prematurity..." the doctor explained. EVeyrone sighed with relief. "But.. There's the matter of Shaily... During delievery she started to hemrage... She's in a coma."  
  
Brianna didn't show any sign of emotion except shock. She didn't cry because she was so over taken by this that she felt paralyzed. Memories of Shaily flashed through her mind. One right after the other. "Will she come out of it?" asked Susan, softly.  
  
"Most likely she will... As soon as her body get her blood flow regulated again... She'll come out of it. But I warn ya that might take a long while... Considering she is pretty young..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Charm: How was that? I hope it was good! ^^ CLIFFY! OH NO! lol  
  
Squid: --;  
  
Twitch: Cars are awesome....WOO!  
  
Charm: Right. Uhm, well I hope everyone liked this chapter! ^^ I gtg! REVIEW PLEASE! ^^ Since I'm watching hole right now I'm kinda hyper and YEAH! WOOHOO! COMMENTARY IS AWESOME! *drools over Jake's new york accent*  
  
Twitch: *glares* I DO NOT LOOK LIKE STUART LITTLE! *whines*  
  
Charm: *hugs him* It's ok! ^^ I STILL LOVE YA! ^^ REVIEW PLEASE! ^^ BYEEEEEEEEEEE! 


	8. I'm Gonna Make Everything Alright

Charm: Hey everyone i'm updating again... And I'm bored.  
  
Squid: woohoo...  
  
Charm: oh shut up  
  
Squid: Make me!  
  
Charm: *duct tapes his mouth shut up* THere. THat work?  
  
Squid: Mmmgh!  
  
Charm: I take that as a yes! ^^ Well Onto the update! WOO!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Eight: I'm Gonna Make It Alright  
  
It had been four months since Shaily had gone into a coma, and she still remains in a coma as well. Brianna was now five months pregnant and she was starting to show. She also started getting food cravings about a month and a half ago. Squid was the one given the task to retrieve the food she would crave, no matter what the time was. He wasn't exactly thrilled over this task either.  
  
"Alan," whined Brianna.  
  
"What?" he moaned, knowing what was coming next.  
  
"Do we have any ice-cream? I'm hungrey," she told him. Squid went over to the freezer and pulled out some ice-cream and handed it to Brianna.  
  
"Happy?" he asked. She glared.  
  
"It isn't my fault, Alan."  
  
"I know..." he grumbled, sitting down next to Brianna on the couch.  
  
"Hey Alan?"  
  
"What now?"  
  
Brianna ate a spoonful of ice-cream and swallowed before looking over at her husband to answer. "I've got my monthly check up tomorrow," she whispered.  
  
"So?"  
  
"Well I was wonderin' if you would come because they said they could tell the sex of the baby this month, hopefully."  
  
Squid's eyes lit up. "I'm goin'! It's gonna be a boy!" he said triumphantly. Brianna laughed at him. He kissed her lightly on the neck moving up to her cheek and then to her mouth. He smirked, after kissing her mouth. She stared at him, confused.  
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
Squid licked his lips and smiled. "You taste like chocolate. Can I have another taste?"  
  
"ALAN!"  
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
Brianna laughed as she placed the bowl of ice-cream onto their coffee table. She laid down on the couch. Squid had to get up and adjust himself so he could sit down without making either of them uncomfortable. So Squid ended up with Brianna's legs across his lap. "Hey Alan?" whispered Brianna, yawning.  
  
"Yeah, baby?" he said, looking over at her. She smiled.  
  
"I love you."  
  
"I love you too."  
  
She fell asleep.  
  
* Two Hours Later *  
  
The phone rang and Squid reached over Brianna's legs to get the portable phone. He picked it up and pressed "talk" on it. "Hello?" he asked. It was ZIgzag. "Ok we'll be right there, as soon as Bri gets up ok! Bye!" He hung up. "BRIANNA!" shouted Squid, shaking his wife.  
  
"What?" Brianna mumbled, groggily.  
  
"Shaily's came out of a coma!" explained Squid. Brianna's eyes widened. "Zig just called with the news. Brianna got up from the couch and almost cried. "You wanna go see her?" asked Squid, quietly.  
  
"Yes!" cried out Brianna, happily.  
  
Squid smiled and they got ready to leave for the hospital.  
  
***  
  
"Zig!" shouted Brianna, coming into the hospital enterence and seeing Zigzag standing there as if he had been waiting for them. "Where is she?" asked Brianna, panting. Suddenly she had a sharp pain. "Oh I don't think I should've run like that... Ow." whispered Brianna, wincing.  
  
"Bri? You ok?" asked Squid, concerned.  
  
"Yeah... I'm fine... It's gone now." Brianna assured. "Now where's-"  
  
"Follow me..." Zigzag, whispered. "I've gotta tell ya a few things though before you go in." They all stopped in front of a room label 435. "She's having some slight memory problems. She remembers you Bri. It was the first thing that she said after she woke up was yer name. She doesn't remember Squid, her step-mother, and some other stuff. SHe remebers Brianna, little Rose Nicole-"  
  
"HEY! THAT WAS THE NAME I WAS GONNA NAME MY BABY IF IT WAS A GIRL! COPYCAT!" shouted Brianna, angrily. Squid held her by the shoulders.  
  
"Baby, calm down." Squid whispered, gently in her ear. She smiled and calmed herself.  
  
"Anyway," Zigzag continued. "And she remembers me and her friends and some of their boyfriends, husbands, fiancees, or whatever.... So be gentle with her. She can't take too much in at once..."  
  
Brianna nodded and went into Shaily's room and found her holding little Rose Nicole. "Shail?" asked Brianna, quietly. Shaily looked over at Brianna and grinned.  
  
"Hey Bri..." Shaily answered, hoarsly. "You wanna see Rosie?"  
  
"Sure," whispered Brianna, coming up to SHaily's side and picking up the tiny baby from SHaily's arms. Rosie was so small and had bright blue eyes. The little baby girl cooed gently. Brianna smiled. "So..." whispered Brianna, sitting down in the chair next to Shaily's bed. "HOw've ya been?"  
  
"Better than I was." Shaily replied, stretching out her arms.  
  
Brianna smiled.  
  
"How long have I been out?" Shaily asked.  
  
"Four months," whispered Brianna, now looking down at Rose Nicole.  
  
"FOUR MONTHS?!" cried Shaily. Brianna nodded. "What's happened?!"  
  
"Well tomorrow's my monthly checkup for my baby."  
  
"Yer havin' a baby?" Shaily questioned, looking astonished. Brianna nodded slowly.  
  
"Yes. With Alan."  
  
"Who's he?"  
  
Brianna had forgotten Shaily only remembered so much at this moment. She sighed. "My husband. Remember his nickname? Squid?" asked Brianna gently. Shaily went into deep thought. That name did ring a bell.  
  
"Squid...? Isn't he the one who chew on tootpicks all day long?" asked Shaily.  
  
Brianna nodded and laughed, "Yeah that's my Alan." Shaily smiled at Brianna. "D'you want Rose back?" asked Brianna after momentary silence, which was very weird between these long time friends. Shaily nodded and took Rose back into her arms.  
  
"God I love her... My own baby girl..." whispered Shaily, almost crying. Brianna smiled.  
  
"Well I hafta go now Shail, ok?" said Brianna.  
  
"Ok. When will ya visit again?"  
  
"Uhm. I'm not sure but it'll be soon. Promise." Brianna said walking out the door. She paused, "Bye Shaily."  
  
"Bye Brianna." Brianna left.  
  
* The Next Day *  
  
Brianna had just finished getting her monthly examination. She sat in the waiting room with Squid to see wether or not they could make out the sex of the baby. She was so nervous. Brianna was hoping it was going to be a girl. Squid, of course, wanted a boy. It took about ten minutes for Brianna doctor to come into the waiting room with the news.  
  
Brianna's doctor motioned for them to come into another examination room since this really wasn't anyone's business but their own. Brianna sat down next to Squid. The doctor leaned against her desk and read the papers on her clipboard. When the doctor lowered her clipboard she smiled.  
  
"It's a boy," declared Brianna's doctor.  
  
"Damn," cursed Brianna.  
  
"I TOLD YA! I TOLD YA! HA! It's gonna be a boy! I knew it! I knew it!" Squid said, happily. Brianna sulked.Squid calmed down and kissed his wife lightly on the cheek. "Sorry baby," he whispered to her. She smiled at him. "I love you."  
  
"I love you too," Brianna paused. "Alan... I'm scared."  
  
Squid smiled at her and kissed her again on the lips lightly. "I'm gonna make everything alright."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Charm: How was that?  
  
Squid: PATHETIC!  
  
Charm: *thwaks squid* NO ONE ASKED YOU!  
  
Squid: OWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! YOU NEED TO STOP HITTING PEOPLE! GOD DAMN!  
  
Charm: AND YOU NEED TO STOP MOUTHIN' OFF! Anyway I hope everyone liked this chapter! ^^ REVIEW! PLEASE!!!!!! 


	9. Someday

Charm: Hello! God I have been obsessed with this fic lol! Hard to believe this all started with Girls And Guys. lol.  
  
Squid: *groans* That's when all hell broke loose.  
  
Charm: *glares and thwaks squid* SILENCE!  
  
Squid: OWWWWWWWWWWW!  
  
Charm: Anyway... Uhm... UPDATEY TIMEY! WHEW! I'm HyPeR! YAHOO! *ppl stare* ^^;; lol. Onto the next chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the song "Someday" from Nickleback. It belongs to them not me so don't sue.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Nine: Someday  
  
"ALAN! GOD DAMMIT!" screamed Brianna, angrily. Squid stared equally angered at Brianna. They were agrueing over which room would soon become the baby's room. Brianna said that they should get an addition to the house for the baby but Squid wanted to use the extra guest room.  
  
//How the hell did we wind up like this?//  
  
//Why weren't we able//  
  
"BRIANNA! JESUS CHRIST! I'M NOT WASTIN' MONEY ON GETTIN' ANOTHER ROOM IN THIS GOD DAMN HOUSE!!" shouted Squid. Brianna glared.  
  
"YOU CARE MORE ABOUT YOUR DAMN MONEY THAN THE COMFORT OF OUR BABY! DAMN YOU!" bellowed Brianna.  
  
//To see the signs that we missed//  
  
//Time to turn the tables//  
  
"YER IMPOSSIBLE!" roared Squid, marching out of the kitchen. Brianna was almost six months pregnant and she was very much so showing. "GOD YOU NEVER LISTEN TO ANYONE BUT YERSELF!"  
  
//I wish you would unclentch your fists//  
  
"WHAT IN HELL!? ALAN! I LISTEN TO YOU ALL THE TIME! I'M JUST SAYING GETTIN' AN ADDITION WOULD BE BETTER IN CASE WE NEED THE DAMN GUEST ROOMS!" screamed Brianna, following Squid out of the kitchen and into the living room. He rolled his eyes. "Oh my God! You asshole!" she shouted turning away from him.  
  
"Bri, please. Let's just use the guest room..."  
  
"NO!" shouted Brianna, her voice sounding completely outraged. Squid sweared under his breath and walked out of the living room and into their bedroom. Brianna stared and followed him. "WHAT IN HELL ARE YA DOIN'!?" she shrieked.  
  
//ANd unpack your suitcase//  
  
"I'M LEAVIN'!" Squid shouted, as he packed his things. About ten minutes later he stormed out of the house with and drove off. He left Brianna crying in the living room.  
  
//Lately there's been too much of this//  
  
//But don't think it's too late//  
  
***  
  
//Nothing's wrong//  
  
//Just as long, as you know//  
  
//Someday I will//  
  
Squid drove alone in his car. The memories of their first real fight blaring and fresh in his mind. He had to get away though he hated himself for leaving Brianna there in the living room crying. He slammed his fist against his steering wheel, violently. "Dammit," he cursed. He turned on his radio in the car. He knew the song and whispered the lyrics along with the group singing.  
  
//Someday, some how//  
  
//I'm gonna make it alright but not right now//  
  
//I know you wondering away//  
  
//Your the only one who knows that//  
  
//Someday, some how//  
  
//I'm gonna make it alright but not right now//  
  
//I know you wondering that//  
  
***  
  
Brianna had gone into the kitchen. Tears had stopped streaming out of her eyes and she was now burning with anger at Squid. She hadn't been this mad at him since they were like seventeen. God, was she mad. Her face burned with heat. She waved her hand in front of her as a fan. She was getting too hot... She needed to calm down.  
  
//Well I hope since we're here anyway//  
  
//We could end up saying//  
  
Brianna slammed her fist onto the counter, making it rock slightly. She hadn't felt hurt like this in a long time. Now she truly knew how hurt her mother had felt when her father had left with another woman, even if Squid really hadn't left with another girl. Tears stung her eyes. It was happening all over again... Her father was right... She was like him...  
  
//Things we alaways needed to say//  
  
//So we could end up staying//  
  
Brianna turned on the kitchen clock radio. The radio blared a song she knew from where she would listen to music at her office at the law firm. She sighed and whispered the lyrics gently to herself, feeling guilty.  
  
//Now the story's played out like this//  
  
//Just like a paperback novel//  
  
Her tears began to fall and she couldn't take it. Squid couldn't just leave her like this... Could he?  
  
//let's rewrite an ending that fits//  
  
//Instead of a Hollywood horror//  
  
***  
  
Squid pulled over of to the side of the road. He had to think. Was he really gonna leave Brianna like this? Alone and pregnant... He slammed his fist against the dashboard as his mind brought to his senses of who he was acting like. His father...  
  
//Nothing's wrong//  
  
//Just as long, as you know//  
  
//Someday I will//  
  
Squid covered his face with his hands trying to clear his mind of all thoughts. But he couldn't quit thinking of Brianna if he did leave her like this. A drunk... Abusive... Oh God... He was turning into his father. Squid felt tears sting his dry eyes, like salt on an open wound. He wiped them away. He wasn't going to let Brianna or the baby down like this. He made that promise to Brianna about a years ago. Til death do us part...  
  
//Someday, some how//  
  
//I'm gonna make it alright but not right now//  
  
//I know you wondering away//  
  
//Your the only one who knows that//  
  
//Someday, some how//  
  
//I'm gonna make it alright but not right now//  
  
//I know you wondering that//  
  
Squid knew what he had to do... He revved his car up and turned back around. He was going home.  
  
//Your the only one who knows that//  
  
***  
  
Crying, alone, and hurting, in the living room, Brianna sat watching tv. She wanted Squid back... But he was probably long gone by now. She wanted to change the past. But that was impossible. SHe knew that from prior events of her pathetic life. The song was still blaring from the kitchen. She sang the words along with the radio.  
  
//How the hell did we wind up like this?//  
  
//Why weren't we able//  
  
//To see the signs that we missed//  
  
//Time to turn the tables//  
  
***  
  
Squid pulled into his driveway and sighed. He looked around and then back up at the garage door. He whispered,  
  
//Now the story's played out like this//  
  
//Just like a paperback novel//  
  
//let's rewrite an ending that fits//  
  
//Instead of a Hollywood horror//  
  
He stepped out of his car and rushed to the front door. He went inside and found Brianna still crying. She glanced up at him in shock. "Alan?" she whispered, hoarsly. He smiled and nodded. She ran up to him and hugged him as she broke down into heavy sobs.  
  
//Nothing's wrong//  
  
//Just as long, as you know//  
  
//Someday I will//  
  
Squid smiled at his wife and kissed her lightly. He listened closely and heard the same exact song blaring in the kitchen as it did in his car. He smirked slightly without Brianna noticing. He leaned down to her ear and whispered sweetly, "I'm sorry..."  
  
"I'm sorry too," sobbed Brianna.  
  
Squid smiled and said, "Good."  
  
"I love you..."  
  
"I love you too."  
  
Squid leaned back down into Brianna's ear and whispered,  
  
//Someday, some how//  
  
//I'm gonna make it alright but not right now//  
  
//I know you wondering away//  
  
//Your the only one who knows that//  
  
//Someday, some how//  
  
//I'm gonna make it alright but not right now//  
  
//I know you wondering that//  
  
//Someday, some how//  
  
//I'm gonna make it alright but not right now//  
  
//I know you wondering away//  
  
//Your the only one who knows that//  
  
//I know your wondering away...//  
  
//I know you wondering away//  
  
//Your the only one who knows that//  
  
//I know your wondering away...//  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Charm: I hope that was good! I'm trying my best to detail s'more for Candy lol. @@;; Ow my head hurts... --;  
  
Josie: HAHAHAHA!  
  
Charm: 00; WTF!?  
  
Squid: I'm bored.  
  
Charm: That's nice.... ANYWAY.... I NEED SOME FUNNY! *throws zig a blowtorch*  
  
Ziggy: BLOWTORCH! WOOOOO! BURNINESS! MUWHAHAHAHA! *sets random things on fire* FIRE FIRE FIRE FIRE! FIRE BURNS! BEHOLD THE FLAME! UNITED PRYO NATIONS! MUWAHAHAHAHA! *runs around crazily* @@;;;;  
  
Charm: XX;;; Uhm I'm gonna leave before he kills someone... REVIEW! ^^ CIAO! *runs off in fear of her life* 


	10. Baby Shower and a Christmas Surprise

Charm: Hey everyone! ^^  
  
Squid: Oh God. --;  
  
Ziggy: WOO! PRETTIFUL FIRE! @@  
  
Charm: XX; Anyway. *snatches the lighter from ziggy* You'll get it back in a minute.  
  
Ziggy: *sulks* Fine! *pouts*  
  
Charm: Well I'm finally updating this story. Wow. Can't believe already ten chapters. Lol. Actually I can't believe so many people supported me. All my reviewers and not you evil flamers and haters out there, I LOVE YOU! ^^ Omg! I LOVE MY REVIEWERS! ^^ You peeps are awesome!  
  
Squid: Peeps? Isn't that a candy?  
  
Charm: Omg. --; *thwaks squid* Anyway onto the chapter.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Ten: Baby Shower & A Christmas Surprise  
  
Brianna was now eight months pregnant. It was December 18 and Shaily had been released from the hospital about three weeks earlier. Shaily was growing better day-by-day, even faster than what the doctors were figuring. Zigzag and Shaily's baby, Rose Nicole, was in healthy shape according to the doctors, which was extraordinary. Shaily, Susan, and Sherri were all planning Brianna's baby shower.  
  
Brianna was showing very much so now. Brianna refused to believe her doctors that the baby was a boy. So when Shaily approached Brianna about the theme of the baby shower, Brianna had instructed to make neither boy nor girl bias. The baby shower theme was Disney characters.  
  
"You can't be serious," moaned Squid, when he had heard the theme of the baby shower. Brianna stared.  
  
"Yes, Alan. I am," she hissed, acidly. Squid backed off, Brianna was extremely irritable due to the fact of the baby's coming growing nearer.  
  
Squid sighed, "Fine. But if he-"  
  
"ALAN! IT MIGHT NOT BE A BOY!" shouted Brianna. Squid slowly backed away from his wife. She rubbed her head suddenly and sat down. She sat on the couch and Squid sat down beside her.  
  
Squid look concerned. "You ok?" he asked her. She nodded and looked down at the floor. He slowly kissed her neck and whispered, "Everything's gonna be ok. I promise." She turned to him and smiled vibrantly, for the first time in weeks. She had been in a atrocious mood since she turned eight months pregnant. Brianna soon leaned against Squid and sighed. Squid put his arm around her shoulder.  
  
Brianna buried her face into Squid's shoulder. She mumbled something in French. Squid looked at her funny. Brianna noticed since she grinned at him. "Never mind," she told him, sweetly. Squid could only smile back at her. One of the things he hated and loved about Brianna. Her mood swings.  
  
* Six Days Later * Date: Dec. 24 *  
  
"Shail, hon, be careful," pleaded Zigzag as he helped his wife set up the baby shower decorations in the party room in a hotel. Shaily was up on a ladder putting up streamers. She glanced down at Zigzag and smiled.  
  
"I'm fine, Ricky." She assured him. He sighed and nodded. Then they heard a faint squeal of laughter. Their heads turned to see Rose Nicole playing with left over blue streamer. She was giggling hysterically. Shaily looked down at Zigzag. "Sweetie could you-?" asked Shaily, but never finished her sentence.  
  
"Yeah yeah yeah," Zigzag said as he left Shaily's side at the ladder and went to retrieve their daughter. He picked her up and took the streamer from her. "Rosie no." Zigzag told his daughter. Rose looked up at him with her bright blue eyes and only giggled more. Zigzag could only laugh too at the blonde hair, blue-eyed girl in his arms.  
  
Soon enough Michelle and Twitch came into the party room. "Hey Michelle," Shaily greeted as she climbed down the ladder and hugged Michelle. "Hey Twitch," she added soon after. Twitch smiled. "Ok! Twitch you have the honor of helping Ricky take down the chairs!" Twitch rolled his eyes as did Zigzag, but they did as they were told.  
  
About an hour later, Magnet and Susan arrived on the scene along with Sherri and her fiancée. The party room was all fixed up and Shaily shooed the guys into the next party room where the guys were having a party. Magnet, Twitch, Sherri's fiancée, and Twitch all left the baby shower and went into the other party room across the hallway. Shaily and the other girls all sat down and started talking. They were all waiting for Brianna to get there.  
  
It was about ten minutes until the party started, when Brianna and Squid arrived. Brianna grinned at the girls. "Sorry!" she told them. "Alan was driving too slow." Squid glared at her and Brianna kissed him. "I was kiddin'," she whispered. Squid smiled and kissed her back. "Now get out!"  
  
Squid stared, "Hey! I just got here!"  
  
Brianna rolled her eyes, "This is a BABY SHOWER. A 'girls only' type party. Now go across the hallway and go have your 'guy' party." Squid laughed and kissed his wife. "Just don't get to worn out. Remember, you hafta carry the presents into the car."  
  
"Damn!" cursed Squid as he sulked out of the party room and into the one across the hall. Brianna shook her head and went over to join the girls. Brianna slowly sat down into the maroon colored chair. She looked around.  
  
"Whaddya lookin' for Bri?" asked Michelle.  
  
"I thought I sent out an invitation to Kayla. I guess she ain't comin'," Brianna whispered, sadly.  
  
Shaily smirked, "Aw well let's get this party started!" All the girls burst out into laughter. Shaily pulled out the first game they were going to play, "Guess the size of Brianna's stomach". Brianna wasn't exactly thrilled by this game.  
  
"Could we skip this game?" begged Brianna. Shaily shook her head.  
  
"We did it at my baby shower. So we're doin' at yers," Shaily told her. Brianna groaned. All the girls started to decide how big Brianna was now. Then they all had to cut the length of string they thought she was. Each girl had to put the string around Brianna's stomach.  
  
"I'm going to kill you guys for this!" whined Brianna as Michelle put the string around her stomach. Michelle was being funny since she made the string way longer than it should have been. The girls chorused with laughter, even Brianna laughed. In the end, Susan was the winner of that game. They went through a whole bunch of games, which were kind of dumb. Soon they were all at the final game, "Guess The Baby's Sex".  
  
"Girl!" Michelle said.  
  
Shaily walked around Brianna for a brief moment, "Boy."  
  
"Damn you!" whined Brianna. "I wanna girl!"  
  
"It's gonna be a boy," Shaily insisted. Brianna covered her ears.  
  
"Nope! Can't hear ya!"  
  
"Well I wish Kayla was here! She was damn good at this game!" commented Sherri, thinking of when Kayla had guessed right at Shaily's stepmother's baby shower.  
  
All the girls laughed.  
  
"Ya'll betta not be talkin' 'bout me now," a cocky, female voice asked from the party room doorway. Shaily, Michelle, Brianna, Susan, and Sherri all looked to see Kayla Marie standing in the doorway.  
  
"KAYLA!" Brianna almost screamed out. She was about to walk over to Kayla but Kayla got to her first.  
  
"Bri, don't. Yer pregnant. I'm not about to cause ya to stress yerself," Kayla laughed as she hugged her long time best friend.  
  
"Kayla go ahead and guess!" Shaily said.  
  
"Guess what?"  
  
"The baby's sex."  
  
"Oh!" Kayla said backing away and looking at Brianna. "Boy."  
  
"NO!" whined Brianna.  
  
Everyone laughed.  
  
* About Four Hours Later *  
  
It was about eight o'clock at night when Squid had finally gotten all the presents into his and Brianna's car. He got into the driver seat as Brianna climbed into the front passenger seat. It took about a half hour to get home and another half hour for them to get all the presents into the house. When all the work was done Brianna felt a sharp pain shoot across her stomach. "Ow." she winced.  
  
"Bri? You ok?" asked Squid, looking concerned again.  
  
Brianna stood up and nodded, "I'm fine."  
  
She walked into the house and went into the kitchen. She was thirsty and wanted a drink of water. Squid was in the living room, sitting on the couch, while watching TV. Brianna suddenly felt that sharp pain again, but it eventually went away. Brianna filled her glass with water and sat at the kitchen table drinking her water and read a book. After about an hour and half of reading and two glasses of water, Brianna placed her book down and got up to put the glace into the sink. She stopped dead in her tracks with the glass in her hand.  
  
Searing pain shot through her body. The glass in her hand fell to the floor, shattering into pieces. "Brianna?!" asked Squid coming into the kitchen.  
  
"Alan. I think it's time." winced Brianna. "Oh God. This frickin' hurts."  
  
"WHAT!? BUT! YER NOT DUE UNTIL NEXT MONTH!"  
  
"ALAN! SHUT UP AND GET ME TO THE DAMN HOSPITAL!" screamed Brianna.  
  
* 11:30 PM *  
  
"Alan." whispered Brianna, tiredly. "I can't do this much longer."  
  
"Hold on, Bri." Squid murmured into her ear.  
  
"I'm tired." Brianna yawned. "And it hurts."  
  
"BRIANNA!" cried out Shaily. She came up to Brianna's side, kind of shoving Squid aside. "You ok?" asked Shaily, apprehensively.  
  
"DO I LOOK IT SHAILY!?" screamed Brianna, in agony.  
  
"No. Sorry."  
  
"Ow! This feels so awful." griped Brianna. She was practically in tears from the pain. Squid gently kissed her as he squeezed her right hand in his own.  
  
"Shh," Squid whispered. "It's gonna be ok. I swear."  
  
* 11:58 PM *  
  
Brianna was in the delivery room. She had been in there for the past fifteen minutes. She was crying. Squid was at her side holding her hand securely in his own. "It's ok. Shh. Just push." murmured Squid, into Brianna ear. She glared deathlike at him. "Sorry." he pleaded. Brianna's answer was only a scream of pain.  
  
"SQUID!" shouted Brianna. "YOU BETTER PRAY TO GOD THIS IS A BOY BECAUSE I AIN'T HAVING ANOTHER ONE!!"  
  
Squid blinked, "Ok, Bri. Calm down."  
  
"NO!!!! YOU TRY THIS ONCE AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT CALMING DOWN DAMMIT!"  
  
Squid sighed and shut his mouth.  
  
Two minutes went by. It was midnight. "The baby's coming," the doctor told Squid and a crying Brianna. "We've got a head! One more push Brianna." The doctor instructed. The clock struck 12:01 AM. Brianna pushed one more time. There was crying. Brianna laid back and sighed. "It's a boy."  
  
"YES! YES YES YES YES!" cheered Squid, happily.  
  
"I don't care what he is. Just lemme sleep. Please." yawned Brianna. The doctor and the nurses were all cleaning the baby up. When that was done, a nurse brought the baby over to Brianna to hold. She sat back up and took the little baby boy in her arms. She almost cried. "Looks at him. He's beautiful."  
  
"Yeah." Squid said, looking at his brand new son. Brianna started crying happily.  
  
"Alan." whispered Brianna.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Merry Christmas."  
  
Squid smiled too, "Merry Christmas to you too."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Charm: There's the chapter and since I'm lazy today.My muses are locked in their rooms. lol.  
  
Muses: *from closet* LET US OUT!  
  
Charm: ^^;;; Uhm. Just ignore that! REVIEW! ^^ 


	11. Something Like You

Charm: I felt like updating this story again lol!  
  
Squid: wonderful.  
  
Spinner: How come I'm here? Where's Paige?  
  
Charm: *jealous and presses the "kick paige off a cliff button"* Uhm she moved away!  
  
Spinner: Aw man!  
  
Charm: --; *decides Squid's sweeter and sits in his lap*  
  
Squid: Get off! *pushes her off*  
  
Charm: *pout* Well fine! Be like that! Hmph. Onto the chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any song used in this chapter. Ok! Nothing belongs to me so don't waste your time sueing me. I have nothing of my own anyway. --;  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~  
  
Chapter Eleven: Something Like You  
  
Four years came and went. Over the course of those four years Susan and Magnet finally got married. Michelle and Twitch are planning to adopt a girl from the group home. Kayla and Caveman moved back to San Francisco and got engaged. Sherri and Joey got married and had a baby girl and named her, Christina Marie and she is two years old. Shaily and Zigzag are expecting another baby the coming July. Brianna and Squid haven't changed much except having Alan Mitchell grow up right in front of them. And the coming of their fifth year anniversary, which would be on May fifth.  
  
***  
  
"Mitchell! Don't touch that! Mitchell!" scolded Brianna, to her son. She called him Mitchell so Squid and her baby boy wouldn't get confused as to who she meant. Mitchell smiled up at his mother and his green eyes flashed happily. He was trying to climb inside a glass vase. Brianna picked him up. "Mitchell! How many times have I told you not to touch that? You could break it and get hurt!"  
  
"Uhm. Mommy. I wost count after," Mitchell started counting on his fingers. "After free (meaning three)." Brianna could only smile at Mitchell thinking about who he reminded her of.  
  
"Mitchell," Brianna said, setting him onto the floor again. "Yer turning into yer father more and more everyday." Mitchell smiled.  
  
"Is dat a good ting?" asked Mitchell, innocently. Brianna laughed.  
  
"Yes baby. It is."  
  
"What's a good thing?" asked Squid, coming into the room and putting his arms around Brianna's waist.  
  
"That I married a complete idiot," Brianna said, jokingly. Squid stared at her looking shocked. She laughed and kissed him lightly. "I was kiddin' hon," she whispered to him. Squid smiled afterwards.  
  
He kissed her neck lightly, "Good." Brianna laughed. "Guess what tomorrow is?" Squid asked, smirking. Brianna looked up at the ceiling because it helped her think. She wasn't good at keeping track of days.  
  
"Ok. Today's May fourth right?" she asked. Squid nodded and took her hand into his own and fiddled with her wedding ring. "Tomorrow's the fifth. so. OH MY GOD! It's our anniversary!" Brianna exclaimed after getting the hint from Squid playing with her wedding ring. Squid laughed and kissed her cheek lightly. "I can't believe I just remembered that. I feel so stupid!"  
  
Squid sighed, "Honey, don't. We're not having a party this year. Please. I don't wanna put up with another party." Brianna smiled and kissed Squid. Mitchell made a gagging sound. Squid stared at his son.  
  
"Ewwwwwwww!" pouted Mitchell. Brianna buried her face into Squid's chest and started laughing. Squid smiled.  
  
"Trust me, Mitch. You'll like kissing girls when yer older." Squid told Mitchell as if it were a promise. Mitchell grimaced.  
  
"No. Not me! Girls are yucky," Mitchell said, loudly. He sounded oddly like Squid.  
  
"Does that mean yer mother's yucky?"  
  
"No! Mommy's special!"  
  
"Yeah Alan, I'm special." Brianna said, jokingly to Squid. He shook his head.  
  
"Why is yer mother special?" asked Squid, soon giving into laughing.  
  
"Because mommy isn't a girl!" retorted Mitchell. Brianna gapped at her son, blinking repeatedly. Squid laughed. "Mommy can't be a girl because she's a mommy!" explained Mitchell. Brianna had to go into the other room because she had to laugh. Squid smiled and picked Mitchell up into his arm. It was scarey how much Mitchell looked like Squid, Mitchell even acted like Squid on occasion.  
  
"Well what about Rosie?" asked Squid.  
  
"Rosie? She isn't a girl. She's my fwend!" Mitchell told his dad. Squid gave up.  
  
* The Next Day *  
  
"Hey thanks again Shaily for watching Mitchell tonight," Brianna thanked Shaily again for like the fifth time already.  
  
"It's really no problem. Rosie loves having him over. Now go on. It's yer anniversary. Squid's waitin'," smirked Shaily. Brianna rolled her eyes. "I'm kiddin', but ya should hurry because Squid's doin' something really special this year." Brianna stared.  
  
"Oh? What?" Brianna asked, curiously.  
  
Shaily gapped, "It's a surprise Bri! My goodness! Now get yer butt into that car and go home. Mitchell will be fine tonight." Brianna laughed and told Shaily goodbye as she climbed into her red Chevy Blazer and went back to her home. She pulled her blazer into the garage, shut the garage door, and went into her house. She took off her coat and placed it on a chair. She found a note on the table with a long strand of ribbon on it.  
  
She read the note aloud. "Cause something happenes when you look at me I forget to speak. Follow the ribbon." Keeping the first note in her hand, Brianna followed the ribbon until she found another note. She picked it up and realized she was in the kitchen. The note read, "Something happens when you kiss my mouth my knees get so weak. Follow the ribbon."  
  
Brianna kept the second note as well and followed the ribbon until she was in the living room and found the next note. It read, "Could it be true this is what God has meant for me cause baby. Follow the note." Brianna smiled and kept the third note and followed the ribbon until she got to the fourth note. It read "I can't believe that something like you could happen to me. Follow the ribbon." Brianna kept the fourth note as well and followed the ribbon until she got to the dining room and saw Squid standing in front of her.  
  
Squid smiled and came up to Brianna. He kissed her lightly on the mouth. He handed her a note. It read "Something Like You. Remember that?" Brianna smiled and kissed Squid back remembering those lines. Those lines were the lines to their wedding song.  
  
"C'mon, I've got another surprise before we eat," Squid whispered to her.  
  
"What is it?" asked Brianna.  
  
"If I told ya it wouldn't be a surprise now would it?" Squid told her. She laughed. "I'm gonna hafta cover yer eyes ok?"  
  
" 'k Alan," Brianna told him. Squid's hands covered Brianna's eyes and he walked her to the to the living room. He sat her down on the couch. "Can I open my eyes?" asked Brianna.  
  
"No," Squid told her. Squid turned on the TV and put a home video into the VCR, pressed play, and then put a CD into the CD player but didn't turn it on yet. Squid hurrily walked over to Brianna and sat next to her. "Ok."  
  
Brianna opened her eyes and looked over at the TV. She covered her mouth with her right hand our of tearful happiness. It was a home video of the best so-called "Bri and Squid Moments". "Oh my God," Brianna whispered, to Squid. "When didya have time to do this?" she asked.  
  
"Well whenever I had a day off and you were workin'. Me and Mitch would watch a bunch of home videos of you and me and we picked out our favorites. I taped them all together. and this is the final product. Oh my God." Squid said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Our prom my senior year. What in hell was I wearing?!"  
  
Brianna laughed, "I think ya look cute." Squid smiled and kissed her on the cheek. The video went from proms to holiday visits while they were attending college. "Oh God. You didn't tape that! ALAN!" Brianna shouted, when she found out Squid put in the time Brianna had gotten off the airplane at the airport after she finished school. Brianna hated the way she looked that day. "Oh I hope there's an embarrassing moment of you in here." muttered Brianna.  
  
"Aw baby. Don't because then there'll probably be one!" Squid whined. Brianna shook her head. They continued to watch the video. The video now played the day Brianna moved in with Squid before they were married. Magnet had been the one taping the moment and caught Brianna and Squid having a kissing frenzy in the garage. "I'm gonna kill Magnet for that." hissed Squid. Brianna burst into laughter when the video showed Squid and her at the beach with their friends and Shaily had taped Brianna and Squid making out.  
  
"Here we have my best friend, Brianna Lyn Barlow-Synch making out with her fiancée, Alan "Squid" Smith at the beach. I hope you will remember this moment as much as I will. Aw shit." Shaily on the video commented.  
  
"SHAILY! GET THAT DAMN CAMERA OUTTA MY FACE!" shouted Squid on the video.  
  
"OH MY GOD! SHAILY!!!! WHAT'RE YA DOIN'!? DAMMIT! I'M GONNA KILL YA!" Brianna, on the video, screamed as she chased Shaily down the beach.  
  
"Oh my God." Brianna laughed. Then the video cut to their wedding. Brianna smiled. The happiest moment of her life was right in fron of her eyes. Squid put his arm around Brianna making her smile more. Five years of love, dedication, happiness, understanding, and tolerance led up to Brianna and Squid celebrating their fifth year of marriage. The video went to their reception. "Something Like You" was being played and they watched their first dance as a married couple on the TV screen. After the reception, it showed the day Brianna and Squid first brought home Mitchell. Brianna started to cry.  
  
"Baby, what's wrong?" asked Squid.  
  
She smiled, "I'm so happy. I'm cryin'."  
  
"Don't cry yet ok." Squid told her. She nodded and eventually she stopped crying. The video ended after Brianna's birthday, which had been the previous month, April fourth. "Now it's time for another surprise." Squid told her. Brianna looked at him funny. "You'll see in a minute." Squid got up from the couch and over to the CD player. He pressed play. Brianna gasped when she recognized the song. It was "Something Like You". Brianna stood up from the couch and smiled at Squid.  
  
"Ya wanna dance?" he asked her. Brianna nodded and soon they started to slow dance to their wedding song.  
  
Brianna couldn't resist singing along with the lyrics. She whispered to Squid,  
  
//So many times I thought I held it in my hands//  
  
//But just like grains of sand//  
  
//Love slipped thru my fingers//  
  
//And so many nights//  
  
//I asked the Lord above//  
  
//Please make me lucky enough//  
  
//To find a love that lingers//  
  
//Something keeps telling me//  
  
//That you could be my answered prayer//  
  
//You must be Heaven sent I swear//  
  
//Cause something happens when you look at me I forget to speak//  
  
//Something happens when you kiss my mouth my knees get so weak//  
  
//Could it be true this is what God has meant for me cause baby//  
  
//I can't believe that something like you could happen to me//  
  
//Something like you//  
  
Squid smiled as he danced with his wife, whom he had been married to for five years. As the next verse started Squid decided he'd take this part. He whispered to Brianna:  
  
//Girl, in your eyes, I feel you fire burn//  
  
//Oh your secrets I will learn//  
  
//Even if it takes forever//  
  
//With you by my side//  
  
//I can do anything//  
  
//I don't care what tomorrow brings//  
  
//As long as we're together//  
  
//My heart is telling me//  
  
//That you could be my meant to be//  
  
//I know it more each time we touch//  
  
//Cause something happens when you look at me I forget to speak//  
  
//Something happens when you kiss my mouth my knees get so weak//  
  
//Could it be true this is what God has meant for me cause baby//  
  
//I can't believe that something like you could happen to me//  
  
Brianna smiled more in happiness. They both were so happy in this loving embrace. They both whispered:  
  
//Something magical//  
  
//Something spiritual//  
  
//Something stronger than the two of us alone//  
  
//Something physical//  
  
//Something undeniable//  
  
//Nothing like anything that I've ever known//  
  
//Cause something happens when you look at me I forget to speak//  
  
//Something happens when you kiss my mouth my knees get so weak//  
  
//Could it be true this is what God has meant for me cause baby//  
  
//I can't believe that something like you could happen to me//  
  
//Something happen//  
  
//Can't believe that you happened to me//  
  
As the song faded from the CD player, Brianna and Squid stopped dancing but dared not to break their embrace. They stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like an eternity. They leaned into each other and pressed their lips together. When they pulled away a look, which hadn't been on Brianna's face since they last had.  
  
"Alan," Brianna whispered into his ear, with a notable seductive tone. Squid looked down at Brianna.  
  
"What?" he asked. Brianna pressed her lips to his. When she broke the kiss, Brianna had the most mischievous smirk Squid had ever seen on her face. She winked and Squid sighed.  
  
"Baby.Can't we eat first?" he asked.  
  
Brianna twitched slightly but though better of getting angry. She kissed Squid passionately on the mouth and gently slipped her tongue into his mouth. Brianna pulled away after a few moments. Brianna smirked at him and walked to their bedroom, leaving Squid in the living room.  
  
Squid licked his lips and smirked as well. "Or not." he said answering his previous question and quickly went to his and Brianna's bedroom. She was leaning against the doorframe staring mischievously at Squid.  
  
"I thought you were hungrey." Brianna whispered, sweetly. Squid walked up to her and kissed her on the neck.  
  
"I changed my mind," Squid told her with an equally mischievous look oon his face as Brianna. She giggled as she started to walk into the bedroom backwards. Squid walked into the room shutting the bedroom door behind him.  
  
* The Next Day *  
  
Brianna was at her law firm. She was supposed to be filing through a case she had just gotten but the events of the previous night were still fresh in her mind and she couldn't concentrate. It had been a long time since they had done that, and the reason for the delay was Mitchell. He often got nightmares, and when he was a baby he would cry a lot at night and Squid and Brianna would often just sleep. But last night.  
  
Brianna had practically fallen in love with Squid all over again. She spun around in her desk chair a few times before someone knocked on her office door. She stopped and pulled her chair into her desk. "Who is it?" she asked starting to file through the files in case it was her boss.  
  
"It's Shail!" Shaily's voice chimed from behind the door.  
  
"It's open," Brianna told her and stopped filing. Shaily came in with a bright smile on her face.  
  
"Bri. Tell me about yer anniversary last night!" Shaily said with anticipation. Brianna sighed dreamily and shut her eyes, smiling happily.  
  
"It was wonderful." Brianna sighed, dreamily, and blushed slightly. Shaily gapped.  
  
"Did you two do what I think you two did?" asked Shaily. Brianna glanced up at her friend and smiled.  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Heehee," giggled Shaily. Brianna rolled her eyes at Shaily's childish behavior. "What else happened?" asked Shaily.  
  
"I fell in love with him all over again."  
  
"D'you realize how lucky you are?" whined Shaily.  
  
Brianna stared, "Shail, yer last birthday. You got pregnant. Again!"  
  
"Well I wasn't sayin' Ricky isn't a romantic!" snapped Shaily, stubbornly. "I'm sayin' that yer lucky to have found one because they're hard to find." Brianna smiled.  
  
"Thanks Shail."  
  
"Anytime."  
  
* Later That Day *  
  
It was around eight o'clock at night and it was Mitchell's bedtime. Brianna was tucking Mitchell into his bed. Squid watched from the doorway. Brianna ruffled Mitchell's hair. "Mommy?" asked Mitchell.  
  
"Yeah honey," said Brianna.  
  
"Will you marry me mommy?" asked Mitchell, innocently. Squid smiled. Brianna looked at her son with a smile on her face. She gently sang to Mitchell,  
  
//I'm already taken//  
  
//You spoke too late//  
  
//I love your daddy son//  
  
//So you'll just have to wait//  
  
"Besides," Brianna said after she had finished singing. "Yer too young. Ya need to live life. Have fun. There's so much out there you can do, before you settle down." Mitchell smiled brightly at his mother. "G'night baby," Brianna whispered.  
  
"G'night mommy," Mitchell whispered, yawning. Brianna walked out of his room and shut the door. She was met by Squid.  
  
"Alan, what're ya doin'?" asked Brianna, confused.  
  
"Who loves ya baby?" Squid asked. Brianna laughed.  
  
"Do I know you?"  
  
"Hey! Don't make me go outside and punch out the first guy I see to prove my love for you!" Squid said, almost laughing. He had his arms around her waist.  
  
"I'm kiddin'. I plan on lovin' you for quite some time."  
  
Squid kissed her neck. "Forever?"  
  
"Forever." Brianna answered looking back up at Squid and kissing him on the mouth.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~  
  
Charm: *blushes* Some of that stuff is woah.  
  
Squid: OO;;; *blushing*  
  
Bri: *reading this chapter while drinking pepsi and spits out some of the pepsi when she gets to a certain "part"* OMG!  
  
Charm: ^^;;;; Uhm. Right. lol. Well I hope you liked it! Review! PLEASE!!! *pouts* 


	12. Stay The Night

Charm: hey everyone. Well thought I'd update. lol.  
  
Squid: *sighs*  
  
Charm: Oh for God's sake. Stop sighing...  
  
Squid: I can't... I'm bored...  
  
Charm: Go find Brianna.  
  
Squid: She went shopping... *looking pathetic*  
  
Charm: Well sorry then can't help you there. HEY! Anyway. Time for the chapter! Woo!!!! ^^  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the song "Stay The Night" (i think I'm blankin out...) from 98 degrees. It belongs to them and not me. SO DON'T SUE!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Twelve: Stay The Night  
  
"MOMMY!" shouted Mitchell, running up to his mother. Brianna stopped walking and looked down at her son.  
  
"What baby?" she asked.  
  
"Can Rosie spend the night??? Hmm?" Mitchell pleaded. Brianna sighed.  
  
"Sweetie, didya ask Rosie's parents?" asked Brianna. Mitchell pouted and shook his head. "Baby, don't pout."  
  
"BUT MOMMY!!"  
  
"No."  
  
"FINE!" Mitchell shouted running into his bedroom and slamming the door behind him. Brianna rubbed her head. Squid came up behind her and put his arms around Brianna's waist.  
  
He kissed her neck, "What happened?"  
  
Brianna sighed, "Mitchell wanted Rose to spend the night but I told him no... He got upset and threw a tantrum." Squid laughed and kissed her neck again. Brianna giggled. "You really like to do that doncha Alan?" she whispered to him. He looked confused.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You like to kiss my neck..."  
  
Squid smirked, "Yeah. So?"  
  
"Never mind," she told him, quietly. Squid gripped her tighter around the waist. Brianna blinked. "Alan?"  
  
"Yeah?" He asked, slightly above a whisper.  
  
"Why are ya holding so tight? It kinda hurts," Brianna said. Squid let her go and sighed. Brianna noticed. "Baby, what's wrong?" she asked, turning to face him. Squid leaned against the wall and looked down at the floor. Brianna moved closer to him and looked him in the eyes. "Tell me please..."  
  
"Ok... well... I was at work yesterday and Twitch called."  
  
"Ok? He calls you all the time-"  
  
"I'm not finished." Squid said, quickly. Brianna looked sorry. "He had some, uh, upsetting new for me... It was about my-" Squid looked away because he choked on his words. Brianna placed her hand on his cheek and made him face her again. She stared thoughtfully at him.  
  
"Take yer time," Brianna suggested. Squid took a breath and finally found his words again.  
  
"It was about my dad..."  
  
Brianna's eyes widened slightly and she looked shocked. "What?"  
  
"I know. Y'know how Michelle's a cop an' all. Well she was on the scene of a DUI car crash... And-" Squid stopped. Brianna bit her lip. Squid looked back down at the floor. Brianna looked over at the living room.  
  
"Alan, maybe you should sit down and tell me the rest..."  
  
"Ok," whispered Squid. The couple went into the kitchen and sat down beside each other on the couch. Brianna looked over at Squid, who was struggling through his words. He took another breath and shut his eyes. "My dad got killed in the car crash... He was drunk, figures, and well swerved into the other lane and another car hit him head on. The driver in the other car was ok because he had his seatbelt on but my dad was drunk and didn't wear his seatbelt... He flew through the windsheild and-" Squid choked, covering his face with his hands.  
  
Brianna scooted closer to Squid and leaned toward him, running her fingers through his hair. "Alan... I-I, God, of all the times to not know what to say..." Brianna whispered. She was hurting deep inside because Squid was hurting. "Shhh," Brianna told him. "It's ok..." That was stupid to say, Brianna thought. Of course it wasn't ok. Squid's father had just gotten killed in a car wreck.  
  
"Mommy? Daddy?" asked Mitchell coming into the room.  
  
"Mitchell, uhm, gimme a minute ok, sweetie?" Brianna told him.  
  
"What's the matter with Daddy?"  
  
"Uh... Mitchell Why doncha go play outside ok baby? Yer dad and I gotta talk for a bit."  
  
"Alright Mommy," Mitchell said. He went out into the sunroom of their house to put his shoes on. Brianna knew he was outside when the sunroom door clicked shut. Brianna returned her attention to Squid.  
  
"Baby... I'm sorry for not being much help here ok... I mean... You loved yer dad and well I didn't..." Brianna whispered, feeling guilty.  
  
"It's ok Bri... I know ya mean well," Squid muttered. "Yer dad hit ya and he even tried to kill ya twice so of course ya don't love him. It isn't yer fault." Brianna still felt guilty for not knowing how Squid felt. Squid removed his hands from his face. He had been crying obviously but Brianna knew he hated when people said he had been crying. So she didn't mention anything.  
  
"Alan... Are you gonna be ok?"  
  
"Yeah," he whispered. Brianna ran her fingers through his hair again. He smiled, he always loved it when Brianna would run her hand through his hair. It was one of Brianna's little signs of affection, and Squid's favorite one sign at that, apart from kissing. Brianna leaned against Squid and gently kissed him lightly on the mouth.  
  
"Are you sure?" Brianna wanted to be sure her husband was going to be ok.  
  
Squid turned to her and sighed. He nodded, "Yeah honey... I'm gonna be ok."  
  
Brianna smiled, "Good." Squid looked at the ceiling.  
  
"It just hurts," he told her.  
  
"I was hurt when my mother was murdered... But the thing is... You've gotta move on but not forget them... THough I don't know why I'm saying this... You barely remember yer father," whispered Brianna.  
  
"I know. That's why it hurts. My dad was dumb enough to leave me with my crazy ass mother when I was only three God damn years old!" shouted Squid, angrily about his father. "And I loved my dad anyway! God am I this stupid!?"  
  
"If yer stupid then why didya marry me?"  
  
"You were the best thing that happened in my life Brianna. Marrying you was the smartest thing I ever did," Squid answered, calmer now, since he was caught off guard by that question. Brianna gently kissed him on the mouth. "I love you..." Squid whispered, after breaking the kiss. He then pressed his lip back onto hers but slightly harder then what she had done. She placed her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately on the mouth. Memories flooded through Squid's mind...  
  
* Flashback (10 Years) *  
  
//In the still of my heart//  
  
//There's a fire//  
  
//That burns my soul's desire//  
  
"Alan... Go back to yer hotel!" Brianna shouted to her boyfriend, Squid. He smirked. He was spending his Christmas Vaction this year with Brianna in New Orleans. It was her last year at NOU. She now lived in an apartment with Tracy but Tracy had gone to New York to visit her family. Squid refused to leave.  
  
//Touching me//  
  
//Like the sun//  
  
"Baby... please don't make me leave..." Squid whispered to her, putting his arms around her waist. He kissed her on the neck and then on the mouth. SHe sighed.  
  
"Alan... Don't gimme that look. Oh my God," Brianna pouted, as she saw Squid give her the puppy eyes. She groaned and let him in.  
  
//Here and now I give my love//  
  
//So faithfully//  
  
"Thanks," Squid told her. She could only smile at him.  
  
"I'll be right back..." Brianna said, going into her room to get something. Squid smirked again and followed her. He leaned against the doorframe and watched her with a look in his eyes that had never been there before. Brianna looked over at Squid in the doorway. "Alan? What're ya doin'?" she asked, confused.  
  
"Watching you..."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I wanna have-eh... Never mind..." Squid said, turning slightly red. Brianna blushed too now knowing what he had meant.  
  
//That I will always be the one//  
  
"But Alan... why?" Brianna asked, blushing.  
  
"Because I love you..."  
  
Brianna stared at him but suddenly she smiled. She walked over to him and put her arms around his neck. "I love you too..." Brianna told him before pressing her lips to his own. Squid gladly returned the kiss with his own and put his arms back around her waist. One kiss turned into a wave of several kisses.  
  
//I wanna stay with you tonight//  
  
//I don't wanna leave//  
  
//Cause I feel the time is right//  
  
Squid and Brianna pulled away and stared lustfully into each other's eyes. They broke their embrace. Brianna walked over to one of the beds and sat down at the edge of it. She sighed. Squid followed and sat down next to her. "What?" asked Squid, concerned.  
  
"I can't..." she whispered.  
  
"What?" asked Squid, blinking until he understood what she meant. "You can... You told me yerself you were ready. You had put him behind you and that incident."  
  
"I know but I'm scared, Alan," she said, almost sobbing. Squid kissed her on the mouth.  
  
//Don't wanna go before I say//  
  
//What I hafta say//  
  
"It's ok..." Squid whispered. "I won't hurt you..." Brianna threw her arms around his neck and almost broke down into tears of happiness. He smiled sweetly at her. "I love you Bri." With those words Squid and Brianna returned into their embrace and kissed each other passionately.  
  
//Don't ask me to walk away//  
  
//I wanna stay the night//  
  
//Stay the night//  
  
Brianna fell onto her back while still kissing Squid passionately. Squid broke the kiss so he could move down to her neck. She felt his breath on her skin. Squid moved back to her mouth and kissed her deeply, and she almost jumped when she felt his hands under the back of her tank top. Squid felt her tense. He kissed her again but gently. "I'm not gonna hurt ya... It's ok..." Squid assured her. She smiled and they kissed slightly harder.  
  
//Holding you close to me//  
  
Squid smiled, while he kissed Brianna, because she almost instinctly pulled off his shirt. She tossed onto the floor and felt Squid's hands slowly pull her own shirt off. She blushed slightly but felt pride because there hadn't been a single flashback yet for her. Squid kissed her shoulder as she ran her fingers through his dark brown hair. He looked her in the eyes with a smile and a blush across his face.  
  
"What?" Brianna whispered.  
  
"I love it when you do that..." Squid whispered, as their voices laced together. Brianna smiled and kissed him again. They both moved under the covers after placing most of their clothing on the floor beside the bed.  
  
//The first time//  
  
//That your body moved with mine//  
  
Squid moved closer to her still as he felt Brianna's lips caress his neck.  
  
//Each feels caressing//  
  
//As I whisper in your ear//  
  
//That//  
  
Squid moved to Brianna's ear and whispered,  
  
//I'll always be the one//  
  
Brianna blushed as Squid kissed her again. His arms were so tightly around her waist it was like he was hugging her curves. "I love you, Brianna..." he panted. They kissed again on the mouth.  
  
"I love you too, Alan," Brianna whispered, breathing hard.  
  
//I wanna stay with you tonight//  
  
//I don't wanna leave//  
  
//Cause I feel the time is right//  
  
"Alan..." Brianna hissed.  
  
"Shhh... Everything's gonna be ok... Don't worry..." Squid assured her. Brianna stared into Squid chocolate colored eyes. He smiled, "Good girl..." Brianna instantly pushed him off her. "Bri?"  
  
"Gimme a minute," muttered Brianna, looking away from Squid.  
  
"Did I do something wrong?"  
  
"Yes, but not intentionally..." Brianna said, softly. "Don't call me good girl..."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Marcus said that to me... when he raped me..." Brianna explained. Squid kissed her shoulder.  
  
//Don't wanna go before I say//  
  
//What I hafta say//  
  
"I'm so sorry, Bri..." Squid said, apologetically. Brianna smiled at him but memories flashed through her mind. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. FInally the memories of her rape had ceased from her mind. She turned back to Squid. "You ok now?"  
  
"Yeah... but I ruined it..."  
  
"It's not yer fault ya got raped." Squid said kissing her deeply on the mouth. She smiled and kissed him back. Soon they got back to where they had previously been.  
  
//Don't ask me to walk away//  
  
//I wanna stay the night//  
  
//Stay the night//  
  
Squid ran his fingers through her dark brunette hair. Brianna shut her eyes as she felt his fingers rake through her hair. His other hand was on her neck pulling her into another kiss. Brianna had her arms around his neck, holding him close to her. She loved being this close to Squid, as did he.  
  
//Now is the time//  
  
//I've been waiting for so long//  
  
//Just gimme a sign//  
  
//Cause it's here where I belong//  
  
//Oooh yeah//  
  
Squid kissed Brianna again and Brianna finally lost herself in Squid completely.  
  
//Stay the night//  
  
Squid saw the smile on Brianna face though she couldn't see him because her eyes were shut. He smiled himself, and held her tighter.  
  
//I wanna stay with you tonight//  
  
//I don't wanna leave//  
  
//Cause I feel the time is right//  
  
//Don't wanna go before I say//  
  
//What I hafta say//  
  
//Don't ask me to walk away//  
  
//I wanna stay the night//  
  
//Stay the night//  
  
Squid leaned down to Brianna's ear and whispered,  
  
//I wanna stay the whole night//  
  
Squid kissed her neck as her eyes flashed back open. "I want you to stay all night too," Brianna whispered back. Squid smiled, vibrantly.  
  
"Don't worry... I will..."  
  
//I wanna stay with you tonight//  
  
//I don't wanna leave//  
  
//Cause I feel the time is right//  
  
//Don't wanna go before I say//  
  
//What I hafta say//  
  
//Don't ask me to walk away//  
  
//I wanna stay the night//  
  
//Stay the night//  
  
"I don't wanna go now," Squid whispered, panting more.  
  
"Just stay the night..." Brianna told him, panting just as much. He smiled and they kissed passionately.  
  
//Don't wanna go now//  
  
//I wanna stay the night//  
  
//Don't wanna go now//  
  
//Don't ask me to walk away//  
  
//My baby my baby tonight//  
  
//Don't wanna go now//  
  
//I wanna stay the night//  
  
//Don't wanna go now//  
  
//Don't ask me to walk away//  
  
Squid woke up first and saw Brianna sleeping soundly next to him. He smiled and kissed her shoulder blade lightly. Without getting out of the bed, Squid reached down and grabbed his clothes and put them back on himself. Then finally, he climbed out of the bed letting Brianna sleep longer since she had finally gotten over her past. Squid watched TV in the small kitchen of Tracy and Brianna's apartment, waiting for Brianna to get up from the bed.  
  
//Don't wanna go now//  
  
//I wanna stay the night//  
  
//Don't wanna go now//  
  
//Don't ask me to walk away//  
  
"Alan?" yawned Brianna, coming into the kitchen fully clothed. He smiled. "I love you..." Brianna told him putting her arms around his neck.  
  
"I love you too..."  
  
//Don't wanna go now//  
  
//I wanna stay the night//  
  
//Don't wanna go now//  
  
//Don't ask me to walk away//  
  
* End of Flashback *  
  
Squid gently pushed Brianna down on the couch. She instantly did so. They kissed passionately as Squid placed his arms down around her waist. Brianna put her arms around his neck.   
  
"Mommy! Daddy!" shouted Mitchell coming back into the living room. He stared blankly at his parents. "What're ya doin'?" he asked, confused. Brianna pushed Squid off of her and they both blushed.  
  
"Nothin' baby... Now what?" asked Brianna. Brianna stood up from the couch and followed her son out into the kitchen as he told her why Rosie should come spend the night. Squid watched Brianna walk into the kitchen. He smiled. The only two things he ever truly loved in his life were right there in front of him...  
  
Brianna and Mitchell.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Charm: *blushes* Ok... Another "in depth" chapter there huh...  
  
Brianna: YOU WRITE ONE MORE CHAPTER LIKE THIS AND I'LL KILL YA CHARM!  
  
Charm: Ehhhh...  
  
Squid: REALLY! JESUS! JUST SPILL EVERY LITTLE DETAIL ABOUT ME AND BRI'S PERSONAL LIFE! JEEZ! *complains*  
  
Charm: Oh for God's sake review... --;;; 


	13. A Secret Lie Always Comes Back

Charm: Ok I am back! Woo! Jeez I can't go a day without updating this fic lol.  
  
Bri: PLEASE NO MORE DISPLAYS OF EMBARASSMENT CHARM!!  
  
Charm: Aw shut up. There ain't gonna be none....I think....  
  
Squid: *glares*  
  
CHarm: 0o;;; WTF!? DON'T GLARE AT ME ALAN!  
  
Squid: *glare more*  
  
Charm: *hides behind twitch/ziggy/chad* Chadddddddd!!! *whines* Save me!  
  
Chad: -_-;;; omg. Squid leave her alone.  
  
Charm: ^^ YAY! ONTO THE CHAPTER!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Thirteen: A Secret Lie Always Comes Back  
  
It had been three weeks since Squid and Brianna found out Squid's father had been killed in a car wreck. Squid laid in bed wondering where Brianna was. It was three in the morning and she still hadn't come home from work. The law firm usually closed about ten but Brianna was always home before that unless she had some extra work to do. He was growing worried. She would've called by now.  
  
"Daddy..." yawned Mitchell coming into Squid and Brianna's bedroom. "Where's Mommy?" he asked innocently. Squid sighed.  
  
"SHe hasn't gotten off work yet... Just go back to bed Mitchell ok?" Squid insisted. Mitchell pouted but soon gave in and walked back to his bedroom. Squid was about to go to sleep when the phone went off. He quickly grabbed it and answered. "Hello?" he said, groggily.  
  
"Alan? It's Bri..." whispered Brianna's voice over the phone.  
  
"Bri! Where the hell are ya?!" shouted Squid.  
  
"Uhm... With my uh... son..."  
  
"What!?"  
  
Brianna paused, "Ok... Alan I lied to ya once... When Marcus got me pregnant after he raped me... I was gonna get an abortion. But... I got scared because Shaily told me stories about abortion chop shops... So I didn't go through with it..."  
  
"WHAT!?! SO YOU HAVE A GOD DAMN KID BY MAD DOG!?"  
  
"Yes... But Alan... I-I... He found me. Marcus didn't have enough time to tell you that I left him with the baby. He killed himself before he remembered that. I'm so sorry Alan, but we hafta take him or put him up for adoption but Richard is my kid and I don't wanna give him up..." Brianna explained. Squid rubbed his forehead and sighed.  
  
"Alright bring him home... But hurry up it's late!" Squid told him.  
  
"THanks baby..." Brianna told him and hung up.  
  
* Fifteen Minutes Later *  
  
"Uhm, hey Alan," Brianna whispered nervously.  
  
Behind her was a teenaged looking boy. He had brown hair and dark navy blue eyes, but there was an innocence in his eyes that you could find in Brianna's. His brown hair fell into his eyes, feathered across his forhead and was extremely messy in the back. He had a slight build on him and he was about the same height as Brianna. He wore worn out sneakers, a pull over sweatshirt that was black, and he had baggy blue deniem jeans.  
  
"This is Richard Issac Barlow-Sheldon, Alan..." Brianna whispered.  
  
"How old is he?" asked Squid.  
  
"Fifteen..." mumbled Richard. "I got my permit last month..." The boy reached into his back pocket and pulled out a leather wallet. He searched through it and then pulled out a card and held it up for Squid to see. It was his driver's permit.  
  
"Ok. God. I need to think..." Squid muttered. Brianna frowned. "What?"  
  
"Honey... This may not be the best time but uh-could I see ya in the kitchen for a minute..." Brianna pleaded. Squid nodded, sighing annoyed and followed his wife into the kitchen.  
  
"YER WHAT!?!?! OH YA PICKED THE PERFECT TIME TO TELL ME BRIANNA! JESUS CHRIST! I THINK I'M GONNA HAVE A GOD DAMN NERVOUS BREAKDOWN!" shouted Squid from the kitchen.  
  
"WILL YA SHUT UP! MITCHELL'S ASLEEP DAMMIT!"  
  
"HYPOCRITE!"  
  
"ALAN DON'T START!"  
  
"ME?! ME?! OH GOD YER THICK BRIANNA! JESUS CHRIST!!"  
  
"ALAN YA SAY ONE MORE WORD AND I'LL-"  
  
"YOU'LL WHAT!?!" SHouted Squid as he followed Brianna out of the kitchen. She went into their bedroom and grabbed a drawer of his cloths. She put the drawer on their bed and opened the window and then threw his cloths outside. "BRIANNA!? WHAT IN HELL!? JESUS CHRIST!" shouted Squid running outside to get his cloths. Brianna locked the doors on him. "LET ME IN!"  
  
"NO!"  
  
"BRI! PLEASE!"  
  
"NO!  
  
"IT'S MY HOUSE TO Y'KNOW!"  
  
"NOT TONIGHT!"  
  
"GOD! BRIANNA! PLEASE!!!!!!"  
  
"NO! GOOD NIGHT SQUID!" With that Brianna slammed the window shut. SHe went back into the living room and sat on the couch. She started to cry. Richard sat next to her. He put his arm around her.  
  
"Hey mom... It's ok..." Richard whispered, gently to her.  
  
"I'm sorry Richard... I'm sorry for leavin' ya with Marcus... But I was fourteen... and he raped me..."  
  
"It's ok mom... I understand..."  
  
Brianna wiped away her tears and took a few deep breaths. "Well let's go get ya a room..." she whispered. Richard smiled. "I hope ya don't mind the guest room," Brianna told him as she and Richard walked down the hall and into the empty guest room. Richard went inside and shook his head.  
  
"It's ok mom..." Richard told her. Brianna smiled.  
  
"We'll get yer stuff tomorrow ok?"  
  
Richard nodded and smiled at his mother who was only fourteen years older than him. Brianna smiled back. "G'night, Rich," she whispered.  
  
"G'night, mom," Richard yawned. He shut the guest room door and got into the bed. He fell asleep. Brianna sighed and went to the front door. She looked through the window and saw Squid still picking up his cloths in the front yard. She felt guilty and unlocked the doors. She went outside and helped him.  
  
"Bri!?" Squid blinked.  
  
"I'm sorry..." she whispered.  
  
He sighed and kissed her lightly, "It's ok." Brianna returned the kiss, gratefully. After picking up the cloths Brianna had dumped outside in the front yard, Brianna headed to the front door. Squid stayed put.  
  
"Alan? Aren't ya comin'?" she asked, confused.  
  
Squid smiled, "Yeah." He followed her back inside, holding his cloths. Brianna collasped into her side of the bed, not even bothering to change into her pajamas. Squid laughed and got in beside her. "I can't believe it... We already have two kids..." Squid moaned. Brianna laughed.  
  
"And another's on it's way..." Brianna whispered to Squid. "Hopefully this one's a girl..."  
  
Squid rolled his eyes.  
  
"What?" snapped Brianna. "Don't make me, make you sleep on the couch mister!"  
  
Squid's eyes widened and he looked shocked. "No no! That's ok! I'll shut my mouth now..." He told her. Brianna burst into laughter. He stared, "What?"  
  
"There's the most difficult task for one Alan "Squid" Smith... Keeping his mouth shut..." Brianna laughed. Squid kissed her neck.  
  
"Now yer the one being a big mouth..."  
  
"I love you..."  
  
"I love you too..."  
  
"G'night Alan..."  
  
"G'Night Brianna."  
  
* Next Morning *  
  
"Brianna! What in hell are ya doin' in the bathroom!?" shouted Squid.  
  
"Throwin' up!" she replied, angrily. Squid blinked and cringed.  
  
"Thanks for the info, Bri."  
  
"YOU ASKED SQUID!"  
  
"Jesus! I'm kiddin'!" Squid told her in shock. She was moody all of a sudden.  
  
"DADDY!!!" shouted Mitchell running into the room. "I'M HUNGREY!!!"  
  
"Mitch wait a minute ok?" Squid told him. Mitchell pouted. Squid rolled his eyes and knocked on the bathroom door. "Bri, sweetie, I'm gonna take Mitch and Richard out to eat ok?" He heard a retching sound and he cringed again.  
  
"Whatever. Don't be mean to Richard!" Brianna shouted between her periods of throwing up. Squid sighed and left the bathroom door and then drug Mitchell away by the collar. Mitchell was pouting and saying things that reminded Squid of well, himself.  
  
"C'mon. We're gonna eat. RICHARD!"  
  
"Yeah?" asked Richard coming out of the guest room. Mitchell instantly hide behind Squid. Mitchell had a timid and innocent look on his face.  
  
"We're gonna eat and Mitch get from behind me... He's yer half brother," Squid told Mitchell. Mitchell blinked in confusment. "That's yer mother's other son. She had him with someone else. You'll understand someday ok?" Mitchell nodded and followed his father outside with Richard walking behind. Mitchell got into the backseat and Richard in the front passanger's seat. Squid drove. "Richard... I'm gonna hafta talk with ya ok?" Squid mumbles.  
  
Richard nodded nervously.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Charm: How was that? This wasn't as "in depth" as the other few chapters lol!  
  
Squid: Thank God.  
  
Bri: Totally.  
  
Charm: --; Well ANYWAY! I hope ya liked it and now REVIEW! MUWAHA! *is hyper* OH YEAH MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!! WOOOOOOOO!!!! I LOVE TODAY!!!  
  
Muses: *slaps forehead* omg..... 


	14. Like Father Like Son

Charm: hello again. I'm updateing and I'm dead tired from watching degrassi until 3 in the morning last night... @@;;;  
  
Squid: I told ya not to drink all that Coke.  
  
Charm: *thwaks squid* SHUT UP! I'M NOT REALLY IN THE MOOD TO LISTEN TO YOUR BIG MOUTH!  
  
Squid: OW!  
  
Charm: Anyway. . . onto the chapter. . . before a fall asleep on the keyboard. . .  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Fourteen: Like Father Like Son  
  
"MOMMA!" Mitchell said, smiling as he came back into the house. He pounced into his mother's lap. Brianna smiled at Mitchell. "Mommy! I wearned a new song from the radio!" Mitchell said, almost laughing. Squid and RIchard still haven't come into the house yet.  
  
"Ok. What?" asked Brianna.  
  
"Uhm. . . OH YEAH!" Mitchell said, thinking for a brief moment. He couldn't remember the lyrics. When he had, he turned to his mother and smiled. "To the window! TO the wall! Til the sweat drop down and fall! Down these female cr-"  
  
"ALAN!" shouted Brianna, getting up.  
  
"Yeah?" asked Squid, coming into the house. Richard was still outside. He was playing basketball. Brianna grabbed Squid by the collar and drug him into the kitchen. "Bri! Honey! What did I do this time!?!" pouted Squid.  
  
"ALAN!!! HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLDYA NOT TO PLAY THAT MUSIC WHEN MITCHELL IS IN THE CAR!" screeched Brianna.  
  
"What music?" asked Squid, clueless. Brianna slapped her forehead and drug Squid outside. They headed to his car and she pull out his CDs. "Oh... That music... Uhm well there's an intresting story to how those got there!" Squid said, trying to avoid the truth. Brianna glared.  
  
"Well I'd enjoy to hear it Alan. . ." growled Brianna, angrily. Squid put his arms around Brianna's waist. "Alan, yer not about to sweet talk yer way outta this mess either." Brianna said, firmly. Squid pouted and let go of her.  
  
"Fine!" he said, annoyed. "I didn't wanna listen to the crap ya tell me to. . . Not today anyway. . ." Brianna stared deathly at him. "Ok ok ok. . . I'll stop playing that in the car." Brianna smiled and kissed him.  
  
"Ya better." she hissed.  
  
"Would I lie to ya?" Squid said, coming up with the fakest innocent face ever.  
  
"Yes." Brianna said as she went back inside.  
  
"HEY!!!!! I HEARD THAT!" shouted Squid, running after her.  
  
***  
  
"MOMMYYYYYYYYYY!" whined Mitchell.  
  
"What?" asked Brianna, looking down at her son.  
  
"CAN ROSIE COME OVER?" asked Mitchell a little too loud. Brianna kneeled down so she was level with her son. Mitchell stared at his mother innocently.  
  
"Baby, quiet. Richard trying to sleep."  
  
Mitchell pouted. "How come he gets more attention than me!?" Brianna stood up and almost burst into laughter. Mitchell was turning a little too much like his father. "So mommy!! Can Rosie come over?" said Mitchell, blinking innocently. Brianna smiled and nodded. Mitchell hugged his mother and ran outside and over to SHaily and Zigzag's house.  
  
***  
  
"ALAN! MUST YOU CHEW ON THAT!" Brianna shouted angrily. Squid looked blankly at Brianna. She rolled her eyes and snatched the toothpick out of his mouth.  
  
"HEY! THAT'S MINE!" Squid pouted, reaching to get his toothpick back. Brianna turned around and threw into the garbage. Squd stared, wide eyed and confused. "WHy'd ya do that?" asked Squid, almost upset. Brianna sighed. Her head was hurting. She went into the living room and laid down on the couch. Squid followed her. "Bri, sweetie?" he asked.  
  
"What?" she mumbled.  
  
"Ya ok?"  
  
"Alan... I have three boys in this house to take care of, I'm pregnant with our second child, Mitchell has a bigger mouth than you, Richard still need to get his things from the group home, and you act more like a child everyday. Yeah. I'm peachy how about you?" she spat acidly.  
  
"Well ya didn't need to be so bitchy. I was only concerned." Squid muttered, walking into the kitchen. Brianna rolled her eyes and fell asleep.  
  
Mitchell and Rose came running into the house with Rose's parents, Shaily and Zigzag, close behind. Mitchell and Rose were both giggling histerically. Shaily saw Rose fiddling with something. "ROSE NICOLE KASCH! WHAT IS IN YER HANDS!" shouted Shaily. Zigzag. placed his hands on SHaily's shoulders.  
  
"Honey let her have some fun." Zigzag told her, sweetly.  
  
"Not if she burns the house down, Ricky!" Rose pouted and handed the lighter over to Shaily. "Rose. . . " scolded Shaily, holding out her hand again. Rose let out a cry of defeat and handed over four packs of matches. Zigzag laughed. "How didya get these Rose Nicole?" asked Shaily, suspiciously.  
  
"Mitchell and I were walking by daddy's office and well Mitchell said he'd get the lighters if I kept watch . . ."  
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
"Don't yell at Mitchell . . ." Rose begged.  
  
"I'm not . . ." Shaily said calmly. She turned to ZIgzag. "Ricky, might I discuss something with you!" She grabbed him by the back of the shirt and drug him outside. "HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YA NOT TO KEEP LIGHTER AND MATCHES IN YER OFFICE!" shouted Shaily. Rose and Mitchell decided to listen in, since Mitchell's parents weren't exactly in the room at the time.  
  
"Uhm . . . Oh c'mon Shail. You take all my lighters and hide'em in the kitchen!" Zigzag whined. Mitchell and Rose glanced at each other and smirked. They went out the back door and over to Rose's home at the kitchen door. It was locked. Rose pouted.  
  
"Rosie!!! I can get us in there . . . Just gimme a minute." Mitchell said, pulling out a metal object. He stuck it into the key hole and jiggled it for a moment. There was a click and Mitchell opened the door. "C'mon, Rosie!" he said, smiling. Rose giggled and followed. "Go get'em!" Rose nodded and headed off to her father's office and can back five minutes later. In her hands were four packs of lighters and three sets of fire crackers. They ran back outside and Mitchell relocked the door from the outside. They went to Mitchell's backyard and set up the crackers. Rose lit the first one and it went off.  
  
***  
  
"What was that!?" shouted Brianna and Shaily at the same time. Squid came into the room blinking in confusment. "Shail, let's go outside!" Brianna said. Shaily nodded and followed her best friend outside. They found Mitchell and Rose playing with the fire crackers.  
  
"ROSE NICOLE KASCH!" screeched Shaily, grabbing Rose's hand and snatching the lighters. Brianna grabbed Mitchell's hand and brought him inside. SHaily followed with her own daughter.  
  
"ALAN MITCHELL SMITH! I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS! YOU ARE GETTIN' TIME OUT!" screamed Brianna. Squid rubbed his forehead. Zigzag rolled his eyes as Shaily went by and followed Brianna. They went into Mitchell's room.  
  
Squid groaned, "I'm gonna hear about this all night . . ."  
  
Zigzag stared, "I'm gonna get chewed out because Rose gets those lighters and things from my office. And oh God . . . Shail's gonna be so mad . . . Shoot me . . ." Squid rolled his eyes. "Well there's one thing to look forward to . . ." ZIgzag said, as an after thought.  
  
"Oh what?" asked Squid. Brianna and Shaily's yelling ceased. They came out into the living room and Zigzag watched them nervously. They were looking a little hot headed and went outside into the back yard. Zigzag sighed. "What? Tell me!"  
  
"Caveman's having his bachelor's party this Saturday. He told me to give this." ZIgzag said, as he handed Squid an envelope. ON the outside, "Squid" was written. "Don't let Brianna see it. Ok. She'll get er... upset per say."  
  
"Why?" asked Squid. "It's just a party, right?" Zigzag sighed.  
  
"Not exactly."  
  
Squid stared, blankly. "What're ya sayin'?" asked Squid. Zigzag grinned.  
  
"He's gonna have well . . . Y'know, the one thing that WASN'T allowed at ours. And well you didn't even get one."  
  
Squid stared. "OH MY GOD! YA MEAN-"  
  
"SHUT UP!"  
  
"Oh . . ." Squid said, quieting down. He added just slightly above a whisper, "Dancers?"  
  
"Not just dancers. Stripers."  
  
"Oh my God."  
  
***  
  
Mitchell was listening from the kitchen. What was his dad and Zigzag talking about? Rose was standing behind him. She had heard as well. "What are they talkin' about?" asked Rose, looking confused. Mitchell shrugged.  
  
"I have no clue. I'll ask my mommy later."  
  
"Ok. Call me and tell me what she says ok?"  
  
"Ok."  
  
They each went back into the room.  
  
* Later That Day *  
  
It was diner and Squid, Brianna, Mitchell and Richard were all eating at the table. Squid had gone out and got pizza since no one volunteered to make dinner that night. Brianna looked out the window. She had cooled down considerably but she was still upset over what Mitchell had done. Richard wasn't around when any of this happened.  
  
Squid was taking a sip of coke as Mitchell looked at his mother. "Mommy?" asked Mitchell.  
  
"Yes, honey?" asked Brianna. Squid was still sipping his coke.  
  
"What's a striper?"  
  
Squid spit his drink back into his cup. Brianna's eyes widened in shock. "Where the he-didya hear that!?" shouted Brianna.  
  
"Daddy and Rosie's daddy were talking about stripers. What are they?" Mitchell aske dinnocently. Richard was sniggering from his position at the table.  
  
"Mitchell. Richard . . . Couldya two go outside for a little bit. I need to speak with yer-" She looked nervously at Richard. He nodded knowing what she was going to say. "Father."  
  
"Ok." Both boy chorused and went outside.  
  
"ALAN SQUID SMITH! WHAT IN HELL ARE YA TALKIN' ABOUT STRIPERS FOR!?" screamed Brianna.  
  
"Caveman's having a bachelor party before his and Kayla's wedding next week. And I think ya know." Squid said, blushing slightly. Brianna slapped her forehead.  
  
"WERE YA PLANNING TO KEEP THIS FROM ME UNTIL THE PARTY!?"  
  
"Kinda."  
  
"ALAN!! WHEN WE GOT MARRIED WE PROMISED THERE'D BE NO MORE SECRETS!! WE'D TELL EACH OTHER EVERYTHING!"  
  
"YOU HYPOCRITE!"  
  
"ALAN THE THING ABOUT RICHARD WAS A PERSONAL MATTER! IT DIDN'T INVOLVE YA! HE WAS A RAPE CHILD!! D'YA THINK I WANTED TO ANNOUNCE TO THE WORLD I WAS RAPED AND WAS TOO PATHETIC TO GET AN ABORTION!"  
  
"So that's what ya think about me?" asked Richard, standing in the back doorway. Tears shining in his eyes, he ran back outside. Brianna covered her mouth. SHe ran after him.  
  
"RICHARD! COME BACK!" she called after him. He kept running. Squid came up to Brianna. He put his arms around her waist.  
  
"It's ok. We'll find him." he told her. She turned and cried into Squid's chest.  
  
* Two Months Later *  
  
Two months had gone by and still Brianna and Squid hadn't found Richard. They had ended up calling the police and they were doing a search. "Is there any place that he would go? Like a place of sentimantal value?" asked the police officer. Brianna sighed as she looked through a photo album. She stopped at one picture. It was a picture of herself when she was tweleve. She was standing next to Marcus "Mad Dog" Sheldon. "Mrs. Smith?" asked the officer.  
  
"Yes . . ." Brianna said. It had hit her. "Try searching New Orleans."  
  
"New Orleans?!"  
  
"He's father is in New Orleans."  
  
"Oh. Well we'll lecha know if we find anything."  
  
* One Week Later *  
  
The phone rang. Brianna answered it. "Hello?" she asked nervously.  
  
"We found him. He is in New Orleans, but refuses to let anyone take him. He told us to tell you that if ya wanted him back home that you'd hafta come get him yourself." the officer said, over the phone.  
  
"Fine." Brianna answered.  
  
* Two Weeks Later *  
  
Brianna and Squid arrived in New Orleans. They had left Mitchell with Shaily and Zigzag. Tears were forming in Brianna's eyes as she got into the rental car. Squid kissed her lightly. "Sweetie, it's gonna be ok." He assured her. Brianna sighed. "Where d'you think he is?" asked Squid.  
  
"THe cementary." Brianna answered, simply.  
  
"What?! WHy?!"  
  
"Trust me. Go." Brianna said, a little firmer than the last time.  
  
Squid sighed and obeyed. They drove off to the cementary. When they arrived, Brianna stepped out of the car and walked out onto the cementary. She looked around and found a boy kneeling by a grave. She sighed and walked up to him. "Richard . . ." Brianna whispered. She placed her hand on his shoulder and kneeled down next to him.  
  
"Mom, why'd he kill himself?" Richard asked, almost crying. Brianna looked at the grave in front of them. It read: Marcus "Mad Dog" Sheldon Jr. Brianna took a deep breath and looked away. "Mom?"  
  
"Honey it was because I married Alan."  
  
"What?"  
  
"What exactly did Marcus tell ya?"  
  
"He said that ya were on vacation all the time and you'd come back soon. He never told me I was a rape child. He lied. He said you and him had real...sex..." Richard whimpered. Brianna took her fifteen year old son into an embrace. Memories flashed back into her mind.  
  
* Flashback *  
  
Mad Dog slowly removed her clothing until she was only in her under garmits. Brianna tried to scream but was stopped by Mad Dog placing his hand to her mouth. She tried to bite him but she could reach his skin with her teeth. She knew what was going on now. She knew exactly. He leered over her staring into her emerald eyes, with his navy blue ones. "Stay still," he commanded. Charm felt tears welling in her eyes.  
  
"Lemme go," she whispered hoarsly.  
  
"No."  
  
"Please!" she whispered.  
  
"Quiet or I'll kill ya!" he growled, whipping out his switchblade and holding it againest her neck. She whimpered and remained silent. Charm knew right then, Mad Dog was truly crazy. He removed his own clothing now. Charm let out a muffled sound as Mad Dog slowly dug into her. HIs hand still clamped tightly over her mouth. "Scream." Charm shook her head. "DO IT!" Charm bit her lip as tears flowed out of her eyes. She wasn't going to let him be satisfied. He slapped her across the face making her whimper slightly, but not enough for him.  
  
"SCREAM DAMMIT!" He dug deeper. Pain, like Charm had never felt before shot through her body. Seering and deadly pain. She couldn't take this much longer but she had to hold out and not scream. She was going to make him happy. "Why won't ya scream!?" he growled, slapping her again. He dug deeper into her. Her body tensed.  
  
* End OF Flashback *  
  
"Richard, you were a rape child. I did want an abortion but I didn't go through with it because of abortion chop shop stories, but the moment I held ya in my arms. . . I knew that I made the right decision. You were beautiful and I hated myself for leavin' ya with Marcus, but I had too. I wanted a future and well having ya kinda stopped that. Plus, my mother didn't want me to have a child. Not at fourteen," Brianna explained, tears streaming down her face.  
  
"Mom?" asked Richard.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"DId dad hurt ya?"  
  
"Yes, very much so."  
  
"How?"  
  
"He wouldn't let me go. He held me at knife point. He told me to scream-" Brianna broke down into complete tears. Richard held his mother close to him. "He hurt me so much Richard. No one believed me either, because I was a criminal."  
  
"WHAT!?" shouted Richard. He looked shocked at his mother.  
  
"Ask Alan where I met him. It'll explain a lot. Or ya could talk to yer uncle Jason. I shoplifted and got into fights all the time... Just for him... Because my dad ditched me and my family when I was five."  
  
"Mom. I had no idea. I'm so sorry!" Richard whispered. She hugged him tighter.  
  
"It's ok. Ya didn't know. Well c'mon. We should go get yer stuff and go home right? Mitchell's real worried about ya, oddly enough. He was crying just last week. C'mon. Let's go." Richard smiled at his mother as they stood up. "I'll tell ya everything as soon as we get home." Richard nodded and walked with his mother to the rental car where Squid was waiting.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Charm: How was that? Well it was REALLY long so I'm not gonna write any muse thingies. lol. Well I hope ya liked and REVIEW! PLEASE! ^^ Next chapter coming soon! I might end this story soon as well. *fans yell* Or not... Heh. BYE! *runs* 


	15. Whatever It Takes

Charm: hello! Woo! I'm here to update this story again omg lol.  
  
Squid: *rolls eyes*  
  
Ryan: I'm bored *pouts*  
  
Charm: Shut up Squid and Ryan go find Shannon if yer so bored.  
  
Ryan: But she isn't here!!! *whines*  
  
Charm: --; NOW!  
  
Ryan: FINE! *stomps off*  
  
Charm: ANYWAY! TIme for another update. omg. I got my 1st magazine from Teen People and I was flipping thru it and I FOUND CHAD MICHEAL MURRAY'S PICTURE IN IT! AHHHHH! *screams out happily and squid stares* *calms down* Anyway! ONTO THE CHAPTER! WOO!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Fifteen: Whatever It Takes  
  
Six months came and went. Shaily and Zigzag had their second child on July fourth and named him Joseph Maxwell Kasch. Brianna and Squid had their second child as well. This time it was a girl and they named her Raja Cathline Smith. Twitch and Michelle adopted a boy and girl from the local group home. Their names are Misty Clarice, who is six and Adam Gerald, who is thirteen. Magnet and Susan also are expecting their first child in August.  
  
X-Ray finally found romance with Brianna's fellow lawyer at the law firm. Her name is Kathline Anne Rider, she had been married before and has a child. x-Ray and Kathline are now dating. Kathline's son's name is James "Jimmy" Rider, but according to X-Ray it will be Jefferson-Rider soon. Armpit also found romance in Courtney Clampton, Michelle's partner at the police station. THey've been dating for about three months now.  
  
Richard has finally found his place at his new home with his mother, step-father, half-brother, and half-sister. Richard has also started school at the local high school. He also has a new girlfriend, Claire Marie Ronson. Richard is finally bringing her home to meet his family after about a month of dating.  
  
"Oh Richard, everything's gonna be fine. She's just coming over to eat dinner, not get an interveiw to become President," Squid told his step-son. Richard rolled his eyes.  
  
"I know Alan, but... Mom..."  
  
"I'll talk to ter mother about this ok? Don't worry..." Squid assured, Richard. Richard sighed and Squid walked into Brianna's home office. She was shuffling through her case files and didn't notice Squid standing in the doorway. Squid quietly snuck up behind Brianna and placed his arms around her. "Hey darlin'," he whispered into her ear and then kissing her neck. Brianna practically jumped.  
  
"Sweetie don't scare me like that!" she snapped. Squid looked astonished. She usually loved it when he did that to her. Squid sighed. "Now whaddya want?" Brianna whispered, turning back to her work. She seemed extremely stressed. Squid kissed her all down her neck.  
  
"Bri, honey, we need to talk..."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"About Claire coming over to eat tonight."  
  
"What about it?"  
  
"Don't embarass Richard."  
  
Brianna turned around in her chair. She gave Squid an odd look. "Embarass him?" asked Brianna. Squid nodded and then leaned on the side of Brianna's desk. "Like how?" she whispered.  
  
"Like don't tell embarassing stories about him... Don't talk about Mitchell and Raja constantly. DON'T SCARE THE GIRL!" Squid said, going down the list of embarassing things for Richard. Brianna blinked, sitll confused. "He really loves this girl according to how much he wants this dinner to go perfect... So for him don't do anything stupid..." Brianna stared. "And me..."  
  
Brianna sighed, "Fine." Squid smiled and kissed her on the mouth this time. He walked out of her office, back to Richard, and sat down. Richard gave his step-father a nervous look. Squid smiled, noticing the look upon his step-son's face.  
  
"It's ok... I talked to her. She's not going to do anything... She promised."  
  
Richard smiled and went upstairs to his room. He still hadn't picked out what he'd wear for the biggest event of his night. Squid laughed and looked up at the ceiling. He was thinking about all the visits Brianna and Squid had with each other, while they were in college. But the the last year of Brianna's college schooling, that night on Christmas... (see chapt 12) that would never cease from his mind.  
  
* Flashback *  
  
"Alan?" yawned Brianna, coming into the kitchen fully clothed. He smiled. "I love you..." Brianna told him putting her arms around his neck.  
  
"I love you too..."  
  
Brianna kissed Squid cheek quickly and went over to her couch and sat down. Squid sat down beside her. "You know what?" whispered Brianna, almost laughing.  
  
Squid look at her funny. "What?"  
  
"Tracy's gonna kill us."  
  
Squid looked shocked. "Why?" he asked confused. Brianna tackled Squid down onto the couch with a kiss. She pulled away but Squid was still pinned by Brianna. He smiled.  
  
"Because we had sex in her bed."  
  
Squid laughed. "Bri, I gotta tell ya something... Last year I-uh..."  
  
"You uh what?"  
  
"Joined the army."  
  
* End of Flashback *  
  
Squid smiled, until Mitchell came in with a big smile on his face. Squid smiled back at his son. "What d'you want Mitch?" asked Squid.  
  
"Nothin'," Mitchell said, smiling.  
  
* Later That Day *  
  
Claire had come to their home and was eating dinner. Brianna hadn't done anything to embarass Richard yet. Everything seemed to be going smoothly. Until...  
  
"Claire," Mitchell said. "Or whatever yer name is."  
  
RIchard glared at Mitchell. "Shut up," Richard hissed.  
  
"RIchard! Leave Mitchell alone!" scolded Brianna. Squid gave her a cross look. "Alan don't gimme that. And Mitchell don't throw food!!! MITCHELL!" shouted Brianna.  
  
Squid sighed and rubbed his head. Richard buried his face in his hands, with total embarassment. Claire was smiling. She pecked Richard on the cheek. "It's ok..." she whispered. "I have younger sibilings too. This is just another day at home they way they're acting." Richard smiled. "Besides I gotta go anyhow. My family's got church tonight. Ok? Love you." Richard looked at Squid.  
  
"Alan Claire's gotta go now ok? I'll walk her to her car..." Richard told his step-father. Squid nodded and watched Richard and Claire walk out into the garage.  
  
* Four Years Later *  
  
Squid and Brianna were laying asleep in bed. It was midnight and they were sound asleep. It was a peaceful night until the phone rang. Squid and Brianna both got up and hurrily answered the phone. Squid talked for about five minutes before his face went pale. He hung up and looked at Brianna.  
  
"Sweetie... That was... the..."  
  
"It's time isn't it?"  
  
"I got called to duty." Squid whispered. Brianna's worst fears had come... Squid was leaving to serve in the army. Oh no. Brianna scooted over on the bed so she was sitting next to Squid.  
  
"When d'you hafta leave...?"  
  
"Tomorrow."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Charm: How was that?  
  
Mad Dog: oh god...  
  
Charm: WHAT'RE YA DOING! GET OUT!  
  
Mad Dog: WHy?  
  
Charm: BECAUSE I SAID SO!  
  
Mad Dog: BUT I'M BORED!  
  
Charm: GO FIND NICKY!  
  
Mad Dog: *thinks* Oh yeah! *runs off to the wreck to find his girlfriend* NICKKYYYYY!  
  
Squid: Obsessed... *sees brianna* BRI BRI!  
  
Charm: Hypocrite... Anyway review... 


	16. American Soldier

Charm: Hello and well I'm gonna update again! woo!  
  
Squid: --;  
  
Charm: I'm bored... well I'm ready for an update... Though I'm dead tired. Oyyyy  
  
Twitch: omg  
  
Charm: anyway onto the chapter after a glorious disclaimer.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the song American Soldier from Toby Keith. It's his song and not mine. I also do not own the song Something Worth Leaving Behind from Lee Ann Womack. It belongs to her. I got to see her in concert FRONT ROW! SHE TOUCHED MY HAND AND- *one tree hill preview comes on*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Sixteen: American Soldier  
  
//I'm just trying to be a father//  
  
//Raise a daughter and a son//  
  
"I love you, Bri," whispered Squid as he kissed his wife deeply on the mouth. She was crying. He placed his hand behind her neck and leaned his forehead against her own. "Shhhh," whispered Squid. Brianna put her arms around Squid. "I'll be back before y'know it."  
  
//Be a lover to their mother//  
  
//Everything to everyone//  
  
"I know," answered Brianna. Squid ran his fingers through her hair. She sighed. "I love you too, Alan," Brianna whispered, in a pained voice. Squid's hands were gently running running down her neck. "I'm gonna miss ya," she told him. Squid smiled sadly as he removed his hands from her neck. He kneeled down and hugged a little girl with grey eyes and dark brown hair. She had tears glistening in her big, innocent eyes.  
  
//Up and at 'em bright and early//  
  
//I'm all in my business suit//  
  
//Yeah, I'm dressed for success from my head down to my boots//  
  
"Hey Raja, it's ok. I promise I'll be back. Ok?" Squid assured the little girl which was of course his four-year-old daughter, Raja Cathline. She smiled with her tears falling down her face. Squid kissed her cheek. "That's my girl." He said, finally bringing the falling tears on his daughter's face to a halt.  
  
//I don't do it for money, there's still bills that I can't pay,//  
  
//I don't do it for the glory, I just do it anyway,//  
  
//Providing for our future's my responsibility//  
  
"Bye Daddy," whispered Raja, innocently.  
  
//Yeah I'm real good under pressure, being all that I can be//  
  
//And I can't call in sick on Mondays when the weekends been to strong//  
  
Squid then brought his attention to an eight-year-old boy. The little boy's bright green eyes flashed. "I'll miss you too, Mitch." Squid told his son. "When Richard isn't home you watch out for yer mother and sister, ok?" Squid instructed. Mitch smiled. Squid looked into his son's eyes. A mischeivious glint was sparkling in his eyes still. Squid hugged his son.  
  
//I just work straight through the holidays,//  
  
//And sometimes all night long.//  
  
//You can bet that I stand ready when the wolf growls at the door,//  
  
//Hey, I'm solid, hey I'm steady, hey I'm true down to the core,//  
  
"Bye Dad, I'll miss you." Mitchell said, sounding upset. Squid sighed.  
  
//And I will always do my duty, no matter what the price//  
  
//I've counted up the cost, I know the sacrafice//  
  
//Oh, and I don't want to die for you//  
  
"Bye Mitch."  
  
//But if dyin's asked of me//  
  
//I'll bear that cross with an honor//  
  
//Cause freedom don't come free//  
  
Squid stood back up and looked at the brunette boy with dark blue eyes, who was the age ninteen, in front of him. It was his step-son, Richard Issac Barlow-Sheldon. "Rich, bye buddy."  
  
//I'm an american soldier, an american//  
  
//Beside my brothers and my sisters I will proudly take a stand//  
  
"I'm not yer buddy, Alan," muttered Richard.  
  
//When liberty's in jeopardy I will always do what's right//  
  
//I'm out here on the front lines, sleep in peace tonigh//  
  
//American soldier//  
  
"What?"  
  
//I'm an american soldier, an american//  
  
//Beside my brothers and my sisters I will proudly take a stand//  
  
"I'm yer son," Richard added, to his prior comment. Squid and Brianna both blinked and stared at each other in pure shock. They couldn't believe what they had heard from Richard. Sqid then smiled at Richard, who of course smiled back. Squid placed his hand on Richard's shoulder. "I'll miss ya Dad."  
  
//When liberty's in jeopardy I will always do what's right//  
  
"I will too. Take care of everyone ok?" Richard looked depressed as he watched his step-father run his fingers through Brianna's hair. "Baby," whispered Squid. Richard got his half-siblings' attention.  
  
//I'm out here on the front lines, sleep in peace tonigh//  
  
"Come on you two. Mom and Dad need to talk." Richard said, taking Mitchell and Raja's hands and took them away. Squid ran his fingers down Brianna's neck.  
  
"Love, I'll be back. I promise. Don't cry, please love, don't." Squid said moving close to Brianna. He put his arms around her waist as she placed her arms around Squid's neck. They hugged each other tightly. Brianna started to tear up again. "Love please don't cry." Squid told her. Squid, himself, started to feel tears sting his eyes as he stared into Brianna's eyes. Her eyes sparkled with tears as well. Squid leaned into Brianna's ear. "Hey baby, see the future that we're building. Our love lives on, in the lives of out children. And that's something," Squid paused. Tears choked his words. "Something worth leaving behind." Brianna cried. "I love ya darlin'," whispered Squid.  
  
//American soldier//  
  
"I love you too Alan," Brianna said softly. Squid moved away from Brianna only to be pulled back by Brianna. Squid smiled and kissed her on the mouth, knowing it would be a long time until he'd do it again, as did she, passionately. Squid pulled her closer and she did as well. An officer standing by the plane Squid would leave in, sounded a trumpet horn. Squid and Brianna broke their kiss blushing madly.  
  
//I'm an American//  
  
"You hafta go," whispered Brianna. Squid nodded and kissed Brianna on the mouth once again. This time he gently slipped his tongue into her mouth. THey pulled away and Squid started to walk away. Brianna waved to Squid as he walked onto the airplane. He saluted Brianna and his family, Mitchell, Richard, and Raja did in return. He got onto the the plane and it took off. Squid was gone.  
  
* Two Months Later *  
  
Brianna heard a knock on her front door. She got up and answered it. She saw an army officer standing in front of her. Brianna called for Richard. Richard stood beside his mother.  
  
"Mrs. Brianna Smith, we regret to inform you that your husband, Private Alan Smith, has not returned to base in two weeks. He is now considered Missing In Action. We will inform you if we hear word of his return." The officer said. He then left.  
  
//An American//  
  
"NO!" screamed Brianna. She fell to her as her son shut the door. He kneeled down beside his mother and held her. "Oh God Alan! Damn you!" she cried.  
  
//An American Soldier//  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Charm: How was that. It was "sniff" depressing.  
  
Squid: Was not  
  
Charm: oh shut up  
  
Squid: MAKE ME!  
  
Charm: *duct tapes his mouth* THERE! Anyway review! ^^ 


	17. Save Me From The Dark

Charm: Updatey time! WOOOOOO!  
  
Squid: Oh God....  
  
Charm: *hugs squid* I'M NEVER LETTING U LEAVE AGAIN!  
  
Squid: LET ME GO! GOD! FIRST SHANNON THEN NICKY NOW YOU! JESUS!  
  
Charm: --; Anyway onto the chapter. Warning this will be depressing.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the song "My Immortal" from Evanesence. It belongs to them and yadda yadda. BTW I'm not using the whole song. Just the chorus. ^^  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Seventeen: Save Me From The Dark  
  
Brianna had locked herself up in her room since she had heard the horrible news of Squid becoming missing in action. That had happened three weeks ago. She would only leave her room to eat, to use the bathroom, or to get a drink. She was in severe depression. Her three children were worried about Brianna. They had tried endlessly to get her to come out, but she wouldn't.  
  
It was night and Brianna laid in her bed staring at the empty space next to her. Her eyes were moist as she ran her hand over the pillow and sheet. Sometimes, Brianna swore she heard Squid's voice in her ears and he would say, "Brianna I'm coming home soon..." She would turn around to see if Squid was standing there, but he wasn't. He was gone after all. Gone (A/N: Please shannon no spazzing. lol).  
  
Tears fell silently down Brianna's pale face. She felt so alone without him. She glanced at the alarm clock beside her. It read eleven at night. She got out of the bed and went over to the closet. She grabbed one of Squid's button up white shirts. She found she could sleep better wearing his shirt. She put it on and got back into the bed. She turned out the light in her room and pulled the covers up to her neck.   
  
* The Next Day *  
  
Brianna woke up, glancing at the clock beside her. It read seven in the morning.Something had jarred her awake. She looked at her door. Someone was knocking. "What?" she snapped, angrily.  
  
"MOMMA! THERE'S A LETTER FOR YOU!" Raja stated from outside the door. Brianna shot up in her bed, glancing at the door.  
  
"From who?" asked Brianna.  
  
"I can't read the thing... But it's for you Momma!" Raja said. Brianna got out of the bed, not bothering to put her pajama pants back on. She only slept in Squid's shirts and underwear. She opened the door and took the letter from Raja. She went back to her bed and opened it, letting Raja in as well. Brianna opened it as Raja sat beside her.   
  
Brianna immedately looked to the bottom of the letter to see who it was from. She screamed, dropping the letter and cried. Richard and Mitchell came rushing into Brianna's bedroom and saw her crying. "Mom?" asked Richard. "What's wro-?"  
  
"It's from Alan..." she whispered. Richard stared and picked up the letter. He read it. The date on it was about a week before he had become missing. Richard hugged his mother. "Damn him! Damn him!" she shouted.  
  
"Mom it's ok..." Richard whispered. Brianna sqruimed away from her son and made her three kids get out of the room. She looked over at the cabniet as she shut the bedroom door behind her. She went to the cabniet and opened it. She pulled out a bottle that read "Liquor". She opened it, took a drink, and collasped onto the bed drinking more.  
  
***  
  
There was a knock at the door and Richard, being the closest to the door, got up and answered it. He almost fell over when he saw who was standing there.  
  
It was Squid.  
  
"A-A-Alan?!" stuttered Richard.  
  
"Hey Rich," Squid said, smiling. Richard let him in and Squid was instantly looking around the house. "Where's Brianna?" he asked. Richard sighed.  
  
"She's been a wreck, Dad. She locked herself in her bedroom..." Richard whispered. "She's in yer bedroom right now..." Squid smiled and went to his wife and his bedroom. He knocked on the door.  
  
"Who is it?!" shouted Brianna. Squid sighed and opened the door. He found Brianna laying on the bed crying. She was wearing his shirt. He came up behind her and covered her eyes. Brianna jumped.  
  
"GUess who?" Squid whispered into her ear. Brianna pulled away, turned around and saw Squid. "Hey baby," he told her, smiling. Brianna went pale and hugged Squid.  
  
"Alan!" she cried out. He hugged her back.  
  
"Shhh," he whispered, kissing her. She smiled and kissed him back. One kiss turned into a sudden wave of kisses. "Brianna..." said Squid, softly. Squid kissed her harder. Brianna did as well. Squid put his arms around her waist as she placed her arms around Squid's neck. Squid pulled away slightly and stared into Brianna's eyes. "Hold that thought..." he said, pulling from her embrace and walking to the door, shutting it, and then locking it. Squid then returned to Brianna and kissed her putting his arms back to where they had been.  
  
"I love you," whispered Brianna.  
  
"I love you too. God you don't know how deprived I was..."  
  
Brianna pulled away. "Deprived? Of what?"  
  
"You..."  
  
"Me?" asked Brianna, smiling.  
  
"Yes you..." Squid said, kissing her again. "And..."  
  
"And what?"  
  
"Toothpicks!"  
  
"ALAN!" shouted Brianna, laughing. He nuzzled her in the neck.  
  
"I'm kiddin' love," he assured her kissing her neck. "But I was deprived of you..."  
  
"Well maybe I should fix that." Brianna giggled. Squid smirked and kissed Brianna. They kissed harder. (A/N: And shannon please don't start yelling trojan man... lol i/j everyone else.)  
  
***  
  
Squid was laying beside Brianna, who was asleep, he kissed her neck lightly. He grabbed his pants and shirt and put them back on. He got out of the bed and left Brianna to sleep in the bedroom. Squid went out into the living room and saw Mitchell and Raja. "Hey you two..." he whispered.  
  
"DADDY!" squealed Raja, hugging her dad.  
  
"DAD!" shouted Mitchell, smiling. Squid smiled seeing his two children. He had missed them terribly. "Where were ya? Huh?" asked Mitchell, excited. Squid sighed and sat down on the couch. His daughter, Raja, jumped into his lap and smiled happily at her father. Mitchell sat beside Squid and listened to his father intently, as did Raja. After Squid had explained how he was the only one of his troop to escape an enemy attack, Squid looked at his children.  
  
"So how was everyone doing while I was gone?" he asked them.  
  
"Momma's been drinkin' from a bottle a lot," whispered Raja. Squid stared.  
  
"Bottle?" he asked them.  
  
"Uh... Alan... Could I talk to ya?" asked Richard, coming in.  
  
"What in hell are they talkin' about?" demanded Squid, angrily. He wanted to know what Brianna was drinking. "Bottle? What was she drinking?"  
  
Richard sighed, "Mom's been drinkin' liquor lately."  
  
"WHAT!?" shouted Squid.  
  
"I doubt she knew it though... She was so blinded by the fact you were out there and possibly dead that she went crazy. She would't leave her room for nothing, practically. She swore she heard you sometimes from behind herself, but you really weren't there. And then there's the depressing fact Mom had gotten last week from Shaily-" Richard trailed off.  
  
"What about Shaily?" asked Squid, nervously.  
  
"Shaily got luekemia. The doctors are afraid she's gonna die... Mom doesn't need you yellin' at her right now ok?"  
  
Squid took a breath to calm himself. "Alright." Squid went into his and Brianna's bedroom and walked over to the trash can. He wanted to know wether or not Brianna was drinking or not. He pulled out three bottles of liquor which were completely empty. She had been drinking. Squid sat down at the foot of the bed and watched Brianna sleep. This whole ordeal about the liquor was something that affected Squid and he was going to stop it.  
  
No matter what.  
  
Squid whispered the lyrics to a song he knew to the sleeping Brianna.  
  
//When you cried, I wiped away all of your tears//  
  
//When you screamed, I fought away all of your fears//  
  
//I held your hand through all of these years//  
  
//And you still have...//  
  
//All of me//  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Charm: Ok... That was upsetting... --;  
  
Squid: Uh right...  
  
Charm: Squid don't be insensitive!!  
  
Squid: *rolls eyes*  
  
Shaily: I'M DYING AND YOU DON'T EVEN CARE! *thwaks squid*  
  
Zig: I CARE!  
  
Shaily: --; I hope you do...  
  
Charm: omg.... --; Anyway review! Byee! 


	18. Baby Goodbye

Charm: Time to update this fic AGAIN!! 0o;;;  
  
Squid: omg  
  
Charm: Anyway. TIME FOR AN UPDATE! AND WARNING! THIS IS GONNA BE ONE OF THOSE WARM AND FUZZY HAPPY SAD FICS! With a interesting twist.  
  
Ryan: *rolls eyes*  
  
Raja: RYYYYYAAAAAANNNNNNNNNN! *pounces on him and pulls his hair*  
  
Squid: RAJA! DON'T PULL PEOPLE'S HAIR!  
  
Raja: Yes daddy.  
  
Charm: Anyway. Onto the fic.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Eighteen: Baby Goodbye  
  
"Rich." Claire whispered, quietly. Richard smiled at his girlfriend. "We need to talk." Richard nodded and walked over to Claire's locker and greeted her with his charming smile. "Richard I think we should see different people now. I mean we're going to different colleges and we won't be able to see each other anymore."  
  
"Are ya breakin' up with me?" asked Richard, softly. Claire nodded.  
  
"I'm really sorry. But. We hafta."  
  
"Whatever." muttered Richard walking off.  
  
***  
  
Richard came into his home and threw his backpack onto the floor, angrily. He walked over to the couch and sat down. He turned on the TV, waiting for his mother to come in. Squid walked into the living room with a Pepsi in his hand. "Hey Rich," Squid said, sitting down on the recliner. He noted his stepson's angered facial expression. "What's wrong?" he asked.  
  
"Claire broke up with me." muttered Richard, acidly. He was obviously angry about the whole problem he was experiencing.  
  
Squid sighed, "Ya ok?"  
  
"Kinda. Where's mom?" asked Richard.  
  
Squid thought for a brief moment and then remembered. "She's at Shaily's. She'll be back soon, promise." Richard leaned back on the couch and stared up at the ceiling.  
  
"Hey Alan? Did you and mom ever have problems when you two dated?" Squid laughed and raked his fingers through his dark brown hair. He nodded at his stepson. Richard stared blankly. "Really?" Richard whispered, shocked. Squid nodded again and Richard blinked. "Wow. Like what?" he asked Squid.  
  
Squid smiled, "Yer mother never told ya where me and her met did she?" Richard shook his head and looked at Squid, giving his stepfather his full attention. Squid took a sip of his Pepsi and started to explain the past to Richard. "Yer mother and I met a long time ago. I was only seventeen and she was sixteen. Well yer mother was the leader of one of the most infamous gangs in all of New Orleans."  
  
"MOM WAS IN A GANG!?" shouted Richard, in complete disbelief. Squid smirked and nodded.  
  
"Yes she was the leader of "The Strips" in New Orleans, but when she turned sixteen she and her gang shoplifted a K-Mart and well. They got caught. So they were given a choice to either go to jail or a working camp, Camp Green Lake in Texas. Bri chose the camp, along with the rest of the gang. What they didn't know about the camp was that it was an ALL BOYS camp. When they got there. That's when I first met Brianna."  
  
"You met Mom at a correctional camp!?" gapped Richard.  
  
Squid nodded and laughed at the same time. "We had problems too. After we got out of camp. well I'll let yer mother explain what happened there. We were out of the camp and I was eighteen and Brianna was seventeen and she had gotten into drugs. We had many arguments until she slapped me and stormed off. After that she tried to commit suicide, ended up in the hospital, and I became protective as hell to her."  
  
Richard was listening intently to every word his stepfather was saying. He had no idea this had happened to them.  
  
"Well Bri and I had a lot of ups and downs. We argued about really dumb things but everything worked out in the end. I mean from the moment we first kissed. I KNEW we were meant for each other. I mean it felt so right," Squid explained.  
  
Richard sighed, "How didya know that Mom was the one?"  
  
"I dunno. There was just this feelin' I had when we first kissed. That it was meant to be together forever. You'll know when it happens Richard. Obviously Claire's not the one for ya right now, but ya will find the one yer meant for. I promise ya that," Squid assured Richard, smiling. Richard gave Squid a slight side smile. Richard got up from the couch and looked at Squid as he exited the living room.  
  
"Thanks Alan," Richard told him.  
  
"Anytime."  
  
***  
  
It was Richard's graduation and Brianna couldn't be any prouder of her son. He was graduating from school and heading off to New Orleans University like she had. She almost started crying. Squid put his arm around Brianna's shoulder and kissed her lightly on the cheek. Richard and his class finished their graduation about two hours later.  
  
Brianna hugged her son and Squid smiled at his stepson. "Oh Richard," cooed Brianna, tearfully. "I'm so happy. I can't believe ya did it! I'm so proud of ya!" She hugged Richard again and this time she broke down into a severe cry.  
  
"Thanks Mom," Richard said, smiling as well. He looked over his mother's shoulder and saw someone leaning against a tree. The man was staring at Richard, and he looked oddly familiar. Richard pushed away from his mother and studied the man in the distance. Brianna turned to see what her son was looking at.  
  
She blinked, "Richard what?"  
  
He pointed over at the man in the distance. "There, look." He told his mother. Brianna looked over at the man staring at them intently. "Can we see who it is, Mom?" asked Richard, hopefully. He wanted to investigate. She nodded and had Squid come along with them as they approached the man in the distance. When Brianna had gotten a very good look of the man she gasped and stumbled, falling back onto Squid, who thankfully caught her. Richard's eyes widened in shock. Squid glared deathly at the man.  
  
"M-M-Marcus. What're ya doin'. Alive?!" stuttered Brianna.  
  
"Dad?" asked Richard, uneasy. Squid remained silent but not taking his eyes off the raven-haired boy with navy blue eyes in front of him.  
  
"I have a right to see my son graduate, Brianna," hissed Mad Dog.  
  
"But yer supposed to be dead?! I SAW YA!" Brianna screamed.  
  
Mad Dog smirked. "How the hell can ya be sure what the fuck ya saw? I faked it. Just to drive ya mad. But I won't meddle in yer business anymore. I've lost ya. And I'll never get ya back. I just want my son."  
  
"No!" shouted Richard.  
  
"What didya say?!" growled Mad Dog.  
  
Richard glared at his father. "First of all I'm over eighteen. I'm officially an adult. Second off. Ya lied to me about Mom. Ya raped her! How couldya lie to me like that and hurt MY MOTHER like that?! I want nothin' more to do with ya! I HATE YOU!"  
  
Mad Dog stared. "Yer my son."  
  
"No I'm not."  
  
"Marcus let it go." whispered Brianna. Mad Dog glared at Brianna and muttered a few swear words under his breath. Brianna kept her distance from the man who had raped her when she had only been fourteen. "Please, Marcus just go," pleaded Brianna.  
  
Mad Dog took a step toward Brianna and she backed away. He smirked. "How dare ya even try to stand up to me. Ya can't even stand the fact that a I take a step toward ya." Brianna twitched slightly with anger and frustration. She approached Mad Dog out of her own free will and slapped him dead in the face. He stared back at her, shocked and infuriated. He grabbed her wrist and shoved her away, letting go of her wrist. "Don't hit me," he hissed. "Don't ya ever hit me." Squid stepped between Brianna and Mad Dog. "Outta the way ya pretty boy." growled Mad Dog (A/N: AHAHAHA! SHANNON!!).  
  
"Don't come near her," mumbled Squid, angrily. Brianna came on the right side of Squid. She looked at him pleadingly. He sighed and backed away from Brianna. She glared at Mad Dog deathly.  
  
She whispered, "Don't call Alan a pretty boy!"  
  
"Make me, slut."  
  
"DON'T CALL MY MOTHER A SLUT YA RAPIST!" shouted Richard unable to control the anger that had built inside of him. "YOU'LL NEVER BE MY FATHER!" Mad Dog's face paled in shock.  
  
"W-w-what?" stuttered Mad Dog, looking down at the ground.  
  
"You'll never be my father."  
  
Mad Dog looked into Brianna's eyes. Tears were shining in them. "Marcus?" asked Brianna.  
  
"You won Bri." whispered Mad Dog. "I won't ever bother ya again. But. Just lemme see my son every so often. Please?"  
  
Brianna sighed and looked up at the blue sky above her. She was contemplating on her decision. She took a deep breath and looked at Mad Dog. "You can see him once a month. And that's it." Brianna said, firmly. Mad Dog nodded.  
  
"Bri. Can I talk to ya?" asked Mad Dog, hopefully. Brianna looked at Squid nervously.  
  
Squid nodded, "I'll be right here. He won't do anything." She smiled and turned to Mad Dog and nodded. Brianna and Mad Dog walked off not to far from Squid and Richard, but far enough so Squid and Richard couldn't hear what was being said.  
  
Mad Dog looked Brianna in the eyes. "I'm sorry."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm sorry. For everything. I've done to ya." Mad Dog added. Brianna stared. "I know sorry doesn't really do anything to get rid of everything I've put ya through but I am truly sorry. I'm tryin' my best to straighten out. After I found out you were married and were pregnant when I last saw ya. It made me realize that ya weren't my baby anymore. You moved on with yer life. And I could do nothin' to stop it."  
  
"Marcus," whispered Brianna.  
  
"Stop. Bri just for goodbye's sake. Can I kiss ya?" Brianna backed away from him. "Just one kiss. please." Brianna glanced at Squid and sighed. She nodded. Mad Dog leaned into her and kissed Brianna lightly on the mouth and then pulled away. "Thanks," Mad Dog whispered. "I gotta go now. Just remember. I love ya always. But of course. ya don't because ya have a family and a husband. Bye." Mad Dog walked off.  
  
Brianna watched him leave and she felt fresh tears well in her eyes. Squid came up to her and put his arms around her waist. "It's ok." he whispered. She turned to Squid and cried into his chest. He stared at her shocked.  
  
"Thanks, Alan for bein' there for me."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Charm: There ya have it! WOO! I hope ya liked this chapter.  
  
Squid: --; It was horrible.  
  
Charm: OH SHUT IT SQUID!  
  
Squid: @@;;;; OK OK OK!!! *stops talking*  
  
Charm: Anyway REVIEW! WOOO! 


	19. Message In A Bottle

Charm: Hello everyone! Well I'm gonna update again lol. This is gonna be a real upsetting chapter for all you Bri/Squid fans. I was experimating with it yesterday when I was IMing Shannon. She was crying I think because of it. Now i'm gonna bring in the warning person to warn you all about this chapter.  
  
WARNING: DRINKING, DRUNKNESS, CHEATING, AND LYING IN THIS CHAPTER!  
  
Charm: Thank you Warning... You may leave.  
  
Warning: Ok. *leaves*  
  
Squid: HOW COME IT GETS TO LEAVE AND I CA- *charm steps in front of him*  
  
Charm: Enjoy this chapter ^^  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Nineteen: Message In A Bottle  
  
"Alan sweetie," Brianna said, digging through the cabniet. "Couldya c'mere?" she asked. Squid smiled and came into the kitchen. He put his arms around her neck. Brianna laughed and turned around to face Squid. He pecked her lightly on the cheek, set her up to sit on the counter and tilted his head.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"Couldya go to the store for me? I gotta go shopping for Mitchell's birthday party. So I need ya to buy me some stuff while I'm at the grocery." Brianna said, smiling. Squid rolled his eyes until Brianna put her arms around his neck. "Honey, please..." she said, looking pleading in the face. Squid laughed and nodded. "Good!"Brianna said, kissing Squid lightly on the mouth.  
  
***  
  
Squid was at a J.C. Penny's, with Mitchell, looking for a new pair of shoes for him. Brianna had Raja at the grocery store. Squid hated shopping, he thought it made him look real sissy like. "Hey Squid!" said a familar voice from behind him. He turned to see Shaily. He smiled.  
  
"Hey Shaily. Where's Zigzag and the rest of yer little crew?" asked Squid. She laughed nervously.  
  
"At the doctor's gettin' my appointments for my chemo. I couldn't do it, so I went shopping to get my mind off things." Shaily replied, darkly. Squid shut his mouth, and beating himself up inside for not remembering Shaily had leukemia.  
  
Squid looked around briefly. "I'm here looking for some new shoes for Mitchell for his little party this weekend." He rolled his eyes. "Bri's makin' me. She hasn't been much fun for the past few months."  
  
"She's got a family, Squid, and she has you."  
  
"I know but..."  
  
Shaily and Squid started to walk around the JC Penny's together with Mitchell grabbing boxes of his favorite shoes. "But what?" SHaily asked. Squid sighed.  
  
"She never wants to do anythin' anymore... Not with me anyway..." Squid whined. Shaily smiled. Squid smiled back. "I know we've got two kids and one's in college and Raja startin' school next year... and Mitchell's in school and we both have jobs to take care of... I just want what we had back when we were married five years... I mean that anniversary was the best one we had... and since then..."  
  
"And since then, what?" asked Shaily curiously. Squid went to the check out counter and paid for Mitchell's four pairs of shoes he wanted. Shaily followed them outside. "Answer my question Squid..."  
  
"I feel like she doesn't love me, anymore."  
  
"Dad! I'm gonna go get into the truck ok?" informed Mitchell, butting into the conversation. Squid nodded and watched Mitchell go and get into Squid's truck. Squid laughed and shook his head.  
  
Squid turned back to Shaily. The wind suddenly blew a sudden gust and Shaily's long blonde hair was caught in the breeze. "I don't know what to do anymore, Shaily..." Squid sighed. "I love her more than anything and I want to show her how much I love her, but she never lets me anymore." He looked into Shaily's ocean blue eyes. She looked thoughtfully back at him.  
  
"Everything'll be ok..." Shaily whispered. She looked away quickly from Squid. She had gotten a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach.  
  
"Shaily?" asked Squid. She turned to him. "You ok?" he asked. She shook her head. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I'm scared..." she whispered to him, almost crying. Squid sighed and made Shaily look him in the face.  
  
"Everything's gonna be ok," Squid assured. Then faster than light itself Squid leaned into Shaily and their lips met in a kiss.  
  
***  
  
Brianna had pulled up into the store next to the JC Penny's. She was waiting for Squid and Mitchell. She looked out her window and saw Shaily and Squid...kissing... She started at them briefly and then rushed out of the JC Penny's parking lot. She drove back home and waited in the kitchen for Squid to come home. She couldn't believe what she had just seen. How could he do this?!  
  
***  
  
About two hour later, Squid returned home. He found his wife sitting in the kitchen drinking a glass of water. "Hey baby," he said coming up to her leaning in for a kiss. She turned away. "Brianna?" asked Squid.  
  
"I saw ya with Shaily today..." Brianna stated.  
  
"She says hey," Squid retorted, turning away.  
  
"You were kissin'..." whispered Brianna. "Don't lie to me either I saw it!" Squid stared at her. "I want ya out of this house Alan..."  
  
"WHAT!?" shouted Squid, angrily.  
  
"GET OUT!"  
  
Squid stormed up to his room and slammed the door behind him. Brianna yelled curse after curse at Squid until she cried. She couldn't take this. She ran over to the liquor cabniet and pulled out three bottles of liquor and downed them completely. She laid down on the couch and passed out. From her hand, a liquor bottle roll out of her hand and onto the floor. She was out cold.  
  
***  
  
Squid came out of his room, went downstairs, and into the living room. He saw Brianna passed out on the couch. "Brianna?" he asked. She wouldn't get up. He saw the three liquor bottles on the floor around the couch. Squid felt Brianna's forehead. She felt fine to him. Squid kneeled down beside Brianna and gently ran his finger through her hair. "I'm sorry," he told, quietly.   
  
"Daddy?" asked Raja coming into the room. "What's wrong with momma?"  
  
"Nothin'," whispered Squid. "She doesn't feel good right now ok, baby. You just go up into yer room right now ok..." Raja sighed and nodded. She went back upstairs. Squid lifted Brianna's head from the couch, sat down, and then placed her head on his lap. He turned the TV on and watched it for about two hours. He constantly looked down at Brianna... He felt guilty. He should've never kissed Shaily.  
  
***  
  
It was after dinner time and Squid asked to talk to Brianna. She had cooled down and he thought it was a good time to talk to her about what had happened. Brianna had another idea.  
  
"ALan I think we should go to counsling." She told him.  
  
"WHAT!?" shouted Squid, in disbelief.  
  
"Marriage cousling... I really think we should go... Just one appointment and if it doesn't work... Then we won't do it again. Please Alan... I don't wanna have our kids split up over a divorce."  
  
Squid sighed. "Fine."  
  
Brianna smiled and hugged him. "Thanks..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Charm: Ok there ya go and I'm too lazy to put up my muses lol. BYEEEE! REVIEW!!!! 


	20. Some People Change, Some Don't

Charm: Ok. I know it's been a while for this fic. About two weeks? Maybe less? Lol. Well I'm back with an update. So calm down all you Bri/Squid fans who're trying to kill me because I left you with one of the most evil cliffies I ever came up with.  
  
Squid: *rolls eyes* W/e.  
  
Charm: Anyway. TIME FOR AN UPDATE WOOHOO! ^^  
  
Ziggy: *playing with a lighter*  
  
Charm: --; Anyway. Onto the chapter.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Twenty: Some People Change, Some Don't  
  
Five years went by with not much notice by everyone. Brianna and Squid were still repairing the trust in their relationship, but they were almost in full recovery. Shaily and Zigzag's relationship was still in recovery too. Both Brianna and Squid were to blame for the incident that had happened years ago. Brianna had been neglecting Squid and what Squid did, didn't justify anything at all.  
  
Sitting in their living room, Squid and Brianna remained silent. Music from the radio was being played in the background. Squid was reading the newspaper and Brianna was filing through her case folders. Squid glanced at Brianna over his newspaper. He smiled as he looked back down at his papers. She looked so cute when she was stressed out.  
  
"Dammit," cursed Brianna. Squid looked at her over his newspaper again. She had dropped her papers and they were scattered all over the floor. Squid tried his best not to laugh as he watched her hurrily pick them back up, but it didn't last long. Squid started laughing and Brianna heard. "What?" she said, slightly snapping.  
  
"Nothin' Bri," Squid said, trying to stop laughing.  
  
"Are ya laughin' at me?" she asked, smiling herself now.  
  
"Y-Yes," Squid forced out between his fazes of laughter. Brianna, smiling, threw a pillow at Squid's head, hitting him perfectly. Brianna giggled as Squid threw the pillow back at her.  
  
"NOT FUNNY ALAN!" laughed Brianna, walking over to Squid with a pillow in her hand. She started pelting him in the head with it. Squid grabbed a pillow and started to hit her back as she hit him as well. Giggling, Brianna accidentally stepped on a paper she had forgotten to pick up and tripped. She fell onto the floor bringing Squid down with her. He fell on top of her.  
  
"OW!" shouted Brianna, slapping Squid playfully on the shoulder. Squid stared, in a fake looking shocked look.  
  
"Yer the one who tripped."  
  
"Funny. Real. funny." Brianna hissed to him.  
  
Brianna stared up into her husband's face. He stared at her and smiled. Squid leaned into Brianna and kissed her lightly on the mouth. She kissed him back and blushed. "I love you," whispered Squid. Brianna had tears form in her eyes, because it had been a long time since she had heard those words from him.  
  
"I love you too," Brianna told him.  
  
Squid smiled more and got up. He helped Brianna up back onto her feet. Brianna picked up the paper she had tripped on and put it into its folder. She sat back down on the couch and started to file through a yellow colored folder. She was putting a stack of papers inside the folder in a certain order. Squid, who was still standing, was watching her intently. He sat down beside her, closed the folder, and set the folder aside.  
  
"Alan?" Brianna questioned. "What're ya doin'?" She leaned over to get her folder again but Squid stopped her by putting his arm around her waist. He smiled and kissed her again. Brianna kissed him back and reached for her folder again. He stopped her. "Alan. I've got a lot of work. It's due tomorrow." Brianna told him.  
  
"Your folder isn't goin' anywhere." Squid said, kissing Brianna again.  
  
"But Ala-" Brianna said, but was cut off by Squid kissing her mouth again. When he pulled away Brianna stared at him and blushed. She smiled and kissed him again. Squid kissed her more until Squid pulled her on top of him. She laid her head against his chest. Squid tangled his fingers in her hair.  
  
"I love you." he whispered again.  
  
"I love you too."  
  
"MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" shouted Mitchell coming into the living room. Brianna got up from Squid's chest.  
  
Brianna turned to her son, "What baby?"  
  
"Uhm. I-I. Need to talk ya something." Mitchell whispered. Brianna got up from the couch and followed her son into his bedroom. "Mom. You know Rosie right?" asked Mitchell quietly.  
  
"Yes, of course."  
  
"Is it wrong to think of a girl who had been yer friend. is pretty.?"  
  
Brianna smiled, "No it isn't wrong. Why?"  
  
"Because I think Rosie is really pretty now." Mitchell said, blushing. Brianna blinked. "I mean. She's been my best friend for years but, just like that she turned into this really cute thirteen-year-old blonde girl in almost all my classes at school. And I've been making a fool of myself in front of her. It's been horrible."  
  
Brianna hugged her son and whispered, "Sweetie. There's nothing wrong in thinking a girl is cute. especially your friend who is a girl. But uhm. Since I'm a girl myself, I can't really give you good advice, but I know yer father will. So later he'll be talking with ya ok?" Mitchell smiled and nodded.  
  
"Thanks Mom," smiled Mitchell.  
  
Brianna left her son in his room and went back into the living room. Raja was giggling as she sat in father's lap watching TV. "What are you two doing?" asked Brianna, smiling. Raja smiled brightly at her mother.  
  
"Watching cartoons!" Raja trilled. Brianna laughed and sat next to Squid on the couch. Squid slid his free hand into Brianna's hand. Brianna turned to Squid and he smiled at her. Squid quickly kissed Brianna on the cheek. Brianna blushed and smiled. She watched cartoons along with Raja and Squid.  
  
* Later *  
  
Squid walked into the bathroom and caught Brianna standing on her weight scale. He leaned against the frame of the door. She was in a blue tank top and baggy lounging pants. She was looking hopelessly at the scale. "You look good, sweetie," he whispered.  
  
"I'm fat." she growled.  
  
"No yer not."  
  
"Yes I am!" pouted Brianna. Squid came up to Brianna and put his arms around her waist.  
  
He whispered into her ear, "Yer the most beautiful girl to ever come into this world to me Brianna. Yer so beautiful."  
  
Brianna looked him in the eyes and almost cried. She hugged him tightly and finally broke down into tears. "Alan. I'm sorry." she told him, tearfully.  
  
Squid blinked, "For what?"  
  
"For neglecting you."  
  
Squid smiled and kissed her. "It's all water under the bridge now. Calm down honey. Nothing could ever come between us. Nothing." Squid kissed her again but this time deeply. Brianna returned the favor.  
  
Squid smirked and picked Brianna up holding her legs. "Alan!" shrieked out Brianna, still giggling at the same time. He brought her into the bedroom and set her on the bed.face first. "ALAN!" Brianna said, getting up and standing on the bed. She pushed him onto the bed and laughed at him until he grabbed her leg and pulled her down and she landed on her butt.  
  
"WHY YOU LITTLE-" But Squid was cut off by Brianna hitting him with a pillow. "OW!" Squid shouted, grabbing a pillow and hitting her as well.  
  
Brianna giggled.  
  
"What're ya smilin' for?" asked Squid, as he ducked from a swing of her pillow. She smirked at him and hit him on the top of his head. Brianna started laughing.  
  
Brianna giggled, "Because you look so funny!"  
  
Squid stared blankly, "Whaddya mean?"  
  
"Look at yer hair!" she howled with laughter as Squid threw his pillow at her. Squid took a quick glance in the mirror on the wall. His dark brown hair was sticking up from Brianna pelting him with her pillow in the head. Brianna was now on her back laughing at him. Her dark chestnut colored hair was spilled over the blankets as she laughed. Squid leered over her with a smirk on his face. "What?" asked Brianna, calming down from her laughter.  
  
Squid leaned down and kissed Brianna's neck. She giggled. "Nothin'," whispered Squid. Brianna stared confused at Squid. He laughed and started tickling Brianna's sides. She squealed with laughter and rolled over onto her side so she could try to get out of Squid's reach.  
  
"STOP IT ALAN!" laughed Brianna. Squid pinned her down again and tickled her even more. "ALAN!" laughed Brianna, trying desperately to squirm out of his grip. Squid smiled as he leaned down to kiss her neck. Brianna felt his arms wrap around her waist.  
  
"MOM! DAD!" shouted Mitchell from the living room. Brianna rolled her eyes. Squid lifted off of Brianna and they both went into the living room. Mitchell was standing at the doorway, looking overly happy.  
  
"What is it Mitch?" asked Squid.  
  
"RICHARD'S HOME!" Mitchell announced loudly. Raja appeared at Mitchell's side. She was giggling.  
  
"And he has a girlfriend!" Raja told them giggling childishly. Brianna smiled. Squid stared.  
  
"What?" he asked, confused. Brianna started to laugh. Squid stared at her now.  
  
Brianna said, "Yer so clueless, Alan." Squid rolled his eyes and quickly kissed Brianna on the cheek. She smiled, Mitchell rolled his eyes, and Raja gagged.  
  
"So where is Richard?" asked Squid looking around. Brianna rolled her eyes, but was smiling as she glanced over at the doorway and found her son standing there.  
  
"RICH!" she cried out, running to him. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "Richard! Oh my God! I can't believe yer here! I missed ya so much. When didya get here? And who's this girl Raja told me about?" Brianna was throwing one question after another to her son, who had just gotten there. Richard stared shocked at his mother.  
  
"Mom. Uhm. Couldya calm down, please?" he asked her gently. Brianna blushed and nodded.  
  
"Sorry Rich. I just missed ya so much!" Brianna said, hugging him again.  
  
Richard went over to the couch and set his suitcase down on the floor and turned to his mother. "Mom I'll be right back ok?" Richard said, and then raced out of the door. Brianna blinked and went to the front window and watched him helping a girl with brown hair with blonde streaks and a slim body at his car. She was laughing at him. Richard took two suitcases from the trunk of his car and the girl took two herself and they both walked to the front door. Brianna rushed over and opened it.  
  
"Alan help Rich." commanded Brianna. Squid glared.  
  
"Why me?" he asked, slightly pouting. Brianna gave him a look and he rolled his eyes as he picked up the two suitcases from the girl. The girl came in after Richard and smiled.  
  
"Mom. This is my girlfriend, Kaylie." Richard said, smiling and slightly blushing as well. Brianna smiled.  
  
"Now where'd ya met her?" asked Brianna.  
  
"Kaylie's in some of my classes at NOU and she worked at this restaurant to help pay her way through college and well. I went there one night and she was my waitress and we started talking. I found out she went to my college and I well. asked her out and she said yes." Richard explained. Kaylie turned a light red color.  
  
Brianna looked over Kaylie, to see wether she approved of this girl or not. Kaylie wore a black jacket over her light blue tank top. She had on bell- bottom blue jeans and a pair of worn in sneakers. She had light blue eyeliner and some foundation make up on her face. She had light brown eyes that glittered as the light hit them. Brianna sighed. This girl was approved. Richard sighed with relief.  
  
Brianna went to the couch and sat down. Richard shook his head and sighed. "Mom, uhm. I'm gonna take my old room ok?" Brianna nodded. "Uhm. Where should Kaylie stay?" asked Richard, nervously. Brianna's eyes widened. Squid caught her look and grabbed Brianna's hand and pulled her away into their bedroom. He shut the door behind himself.  
  
"WHAT IN HELL IS HE TALKING ABOUT!?" shouted Brianna.  
  
Squid sighed and grabbed Brianna by the shoulders to calm her down. He made her sit down and he sat down beside her. "Brianna. Honey don't." pleaded Squid.  
  
"Don't what?" snapped Brianna.  
  
Squid sighed, "You know exactly what!"  
  
Brianna groaned. "I just don't like the idea of Rich and his girlfriend. Together in a room. At night. Alone." Squid rolled his eyes.  
  
"Brianna might I remind a certain someone. Of whom was a college girl and had her boyfriend. Well fiancée spend the night in her apartment and had sex with him that very night in her roommate's bed." Squid said. Brianna crossed her arms around her chest.  
  
"That was different." Brianna informed.  
  
"Uh no it wasn't! Brianna. I know ya trust yer son more than that to be able to control himself while he spends his holidays. And plus I highly doubt they've actually had sex yet anyway." Squid said, smugly.  
  
Brianna sneered slightly and mumbled something under her breath. Squid couldn't make out what she had said. "But Alan. We've got a thirteen year old and a nine year old in this house!" shouted Brianna, slightly whining as well. Squid rubbed his temple.  
  
"Honey," Squid stated. "They love each other and well. I don't think he wants you to interfere with his love life anyway." Brianna laid on her back on the bed. Squid laid on his side next to her. "So are ya gonna ease up a bit on Richard and Kaylie?" asked Squid, hoping she would. He didn't like it when Richard felt uncomfortable in his own parents' home.  
  
Brianna rolled onto her side, so she could face Squid. "Fine I will." Brianna whispered to him. Squid smiled happily and kissed Brianna deeply on the mouth. She smiled and kissed him back. "I love you."  
  
"I love you too, sweetie." Squid said, getting up from the bed. He helped Brianna up and they walked back into the living room. Kaylie and Richard were sitting together on the couch. Raja and Mitchell were on the floor watching TV.  
  
Brianna flinched slightly as she saw Richard and Kaylie together. She was still not totally ok with them staying together. Squid grabbed Brianna's shoulders and calmed her down. Brianna sat down on the couch, after Squid had sat down on the couch. She leaned against him and closed her eyes. Squid glanced over at Rich and Kaylie. Kaylie was doing the same as Brianna. Richard noticed Squid watching and turned to him. Squid smiled and turned away, stroking Brianna's hair. She smiled in her sleep and snuggled against him.  
  
"Daddy!" Raja said, smiling.  
  
"What Raj?" said Squid.  
  
"Do you love mommy again?" she asked, innocently.  
  
Squid blinked, "What?"  
  
"Do you love mommy again?"  
  
It hit Squid what Raja meant. Squid had moved out for a short time while he and Brianna worked out their problems and they slowly rebuilt their relationship. Eventually Squid had been allowed to move back in with Brianna and the rest of his family. Squid smiled at Raja and nodded. "Yes Raj. I do. And I've always had." Squid told his only daughter. Her bright gray eyes sparkled happily. She clapped her hands and jumped up and down in pure joy.  
  
"WILL YA STOP IT YA HOLY TERROR!" shouted Mitchell. Raja glared.  
  
"Mitchell. Raja. Behave!" scolded Squid.  
  
"Yes Dad." hissed Mitchell, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Sorry Daddy." pouted Raja.  
  
Squid sighed and watched Brianna sleeping in his arms. She looked so sweet while she slept. So innocent. He felt guilty for the hell he put her through, and yet part of the reason why it happened was because of her. Squid laid his head back on the couch and went into deep thought, since no one was bothering him.  
  
* Flashback *  
  
"Bri please lemme in!" shouted Squid, frustrated. Brianna shook her head and slammed the door in his face.  
  
"I HATE YOU!!" she cried, tears streaming down her face.  
  
"Brianna. Please." Squid whispered, almost crying himself. Brianna slid down onto the floor and started to cry. She was still in shock over Squid hurting her like this. What had she done that made him cheat on her? Stupid her.  
  
Everything was her fault. Everything.  
  
"Bri please." Squid pleaded.  
  
"No." Brianna said, firmly but with a quiver in her voice. She was obviously crying from behind the safety of the door. Squid rolled his eyes and started off, in anger. He kicked the side of the house and slammed his car door shut. He pulled out of the driveway and left for a drive to get his mind off things.  
  
* End of Flashback *  
  
Brianna was still sleeping peacefully against Squid on the couch. Squid wanted to tell Brianna how much he loved her. But at the same time. He didn't want to awaken her from her sleep. She looked so calm while she slept. He loved every moment of it. One of those few priceless moments you always remember for the rest of your life.  
  
Squid didn't want to let Brianna go as the TV show ended and everyone else got up and left the living room, even Richard and Kaylie. Squid and Brianna remained on the couch, and Brianna was still asleep. Squid ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her lightly.  
  
"Bri, I'll never hurt ya again." Squid promise.  
  
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Charm: How was that.? I think it was sorta cheesy. lol.  
  
Squid: Can we leave?  
  
Charm: --; Oh shut it Squid.  
  
Scooter: *pouting in the background*  
  
Charm: Oh stop whining ya brat!  
  
Scooter: --;  
  
Charm: Anyway. REVIEW! ^^ 


	21. Dont't Leave Me Not Yet

Charm: Hello everyone! I'm updating again! WOOHOO! ^^  
  
Squid: Oh God...  
  
Charm: -_-; Anyway... This is gonna be a SAD SAD SAD chapter! WARNING IT WILL BE SAD (atleast that's my aim for it lol)  
  
Ryan: Yer so hopeless.  
  
Shannon: RYAN!  
  
Ryan: 00; SORRY SHANNON!  
  
Charm: Anyway... Onto the chapter. WARNING IT IS SAD!!!!!!!!! lol  
  
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Chapter Twenty-One: Don't Leave Me Not Yet  
  
In his car alone at night, Squid drove through the pounding rain. In the back of his car was a bouquet of white lilies and a red heart shaped box filled with chocolate. It was his surprise for Brianna on Valentine's Day. He could barely see through the merciless rain pounding against his windshield. He sighed as he prayed he would get home before the weather would get worse. He hated driving in the rain.  
  
Suddenly Squid had to strain his eyes to see the road. The rain beat down harder each time. He saw a swerving car coming toward him, going the wrong direction. He swerved to miss the car, but the car turned sharply and hit Squid's car right on the driver's side.  
  
***  
  
Brianna sat with Raja watching television, as she awaited Squid's phone call. She wondered where he was... He would have called by now, right? She took a deep breath as she watched the violent rain pour down outside. She wondered if Squid got caught up in traffic because of the weather. "He better get home soon... Unless of course he doesn't want his Valentine's Day dinner..." said Brianna.  
  
Raja giggled, "Daddy couldn't go a day skipping a meal."  
  
Brianna smiled. "Yes yer right there, Raja. Well his food's getting cold. Honey go put it in the fridge until he gets home. Ok?" Raja nodded and got up from the couch and did as she was told.  
  
"Just watch... He'll come through the door when I put this away," Raja said, sarcastically. Brianna laughed at her daughter's sarcasm. Brianna walked over to the window and pulled back the draps to look out into the inky blackness outside. Squid was taking an extremely long time to get home. Brianna grew scared, Squid was never this late.  
  
Raja came back to the couch and turned the channel on the television. She flipped through all the channels and stopped at the nnews. She gasped. "Mom! Look! There was a car wreck!" Raja exclaimed. Brianna blinked and sat down beside Raja.  
  
"Oh my God that looks really bad... I hope Alan wasn't on that rode..." Brianna whispered. Suddenly the phone went off. Brianna let it ring three times before answering it. "Hello?" she asked, hoping to God it was Squid.  
  
"Mrs. Smith?" asked a male voice, which wasn't Squid's.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"This is the San Francisco police office... Your husband was in the car wreck on route eighty. He's been taken to the hospital, he was in serious condition." The officer explained. Brianna dropped the phone. Her face paled, white with horror. She couldn't believe this. Squid...in a car...wreck?  
  
"Mom?" asked Raja, glancing at her mother, after hearing the phone receiver drop to the hardwood floor.  
  
Brianna took a deep breath, "Get yer brothers and Kaylie... We've gotta go to the hospital." Raja's grey eyes widened in shock.  
  
"Mom? Why?" she asked curiously. Brianna hushed her daughter.  
  
"Just do it. Now!" Brianna commanded. Tears were forming in her eyes as the cold, hard truth hit her. Squid might be dying. Raja nodded as she rushed up the stairs to gather Kaylie and her brothers. All four came storming down the stairs with Raja leading them.  
  
"Mom?! What's goin' on?" asked Richard, with his New Orleans accent.  
  
"Just hush and get into the car now..." whispered Brianna. Kaylie, Richard, Mitchell, and Raja did as Brianna told them and got into the car. Brianna grabbed her car keys from the kitchen counter and raced out to her blazer. She revved up the car and pulled out of the drive into the violent rain. "Richard... call everyone and tell the them to meet me at the hospital as soon as possible," Brianna said, tossing Richard her cell phone.  
  
"Right..." Richard said, as he started calling everyong Brianna and Squid knew and telling them what Brianna had wanted him to say.  
  
* Fifteen Minutes Later *  
  
Brianna pulled into a parking space at the hospital. Everyone in Brianna's blazer rushed out and followed her inside. Brianna went to the front desk and asked the lady at the desk what room Alan was in. Richard, Kaylie, Raja, and Mitchell were confused as to what was going on. Brianna got the room number and went to the ICU, with her children and Kaylie following close behind.  
  
Brianna stopped at room 252 and turned to her children. "Ok... This is what happened... Remember the car wreck we were watching on the news, Raj? Yer father was in it..."  
  
"WHAT!?" chorused Mitchell and Richard. Kaylie covered her mouth in shock. Raja blinked back her tears.  
  
"Now I know ya wanna see him, but... I need ya to go back to the lobby and wait for everyone to get here... ok? Tell them what room Alan's in ok?" Brianna whispered, choking on her tears. Richard nodded and gathered everyone up.  
  
Kaylie didn't move. "Rich... I'll stay here incase your mom needs some support, ok?" Kaylie told Richard. Richard smiled and nodded. He kissed her lightly on the mouth.  
  
"Thanks Kay," he told her. She blushed and leaned against the hospital hallway door. Brianna saw Kaylie.  
  
"Yer stayin'?" asked Brianna. Kaylie nodded as she saw Brianna smile. "Thanks," Brianna murmured to Kaylie before going into the room. Brianna took a deep breath as she walked into the room, seeing her husband laying on his back, barely breath. Tube were running all over him, his bandages were bloody, and he had an IV running to his arm along with blood.  
  
Brianna felt tears sting her emerald green eyes as she apporached the body of her husband, Squid, laying motionless on his bed. Brianna came to the side of the bed. She gazed upon Squid's face. His eyes were shut and an oxygen mask covered his mouth and nose.  
  
"Alan..." Brianna said, terrified. If she lost him, she idn't know what she would do. Squid was the only reason she was still in the world. If he hadn't come into her life, she would have died from either a drug overdose or suicide when she was a teenager. She touched Squid's right hand with her own. His hand was freezing cold to her touch. She laced her fingers with his and got onto her knees. She broke down into tears.  
  
"Alan... Don't die... Not yet..." she cried to him.  
  
Brianna brought her free hand to his face and ran her fingers down his cheek. Her eyes stung with her salty tears. Who would do this to someone? Who could be this heartless? Brianna needed to be strong for her family. She didn't need to think about the dark side of this situation, but she could not help it. Her heart was aching and at the same time it was breaking. "I love you..." Brianna whispered.  
  
"Brianna?" asked Kaylie, coming into the room. Brianna turned her head to face Kaylie.  
  
"What?" Brianna asked, softly.  
  
"A nurse told me what happened to Alan..."  
  
"What!?" Brianna asked, quickly.  
  
"He was driving home and a drunk driver was on the wrong side of the road... Alan swerved to miss him, but the drunk driver swerved and hit the driver's side... Full force..."  
  
Brianna couldn't take this. Tears flowed out of her eyes and down her face. She covered her face. Removing her hand from her face, after a few moments, Brianna stood up but she still held Squid's hand in her own. She leaned down to Squid's ear.  
  
"Alan... Don't leave me yet... Please don't die yet... I'm not ready to loose you yet," she whispered tearfully. Kaylie's heart was breaking as she witnessed this. If she was loosing Richard like this, she would act the same way Brianna was acting. When you love someone, you would do anything for them just to keep them by your side.  
  
"DAMMIT ALAN!" screamed Brianna, falling back to her knees. "NOT YET! DON'T TAKE HIM YET! PLEASE DON'T TAKE HIM YET! GOD PLEASE!" cried Brianna.  
  
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Charm: Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. I toldya it was sad...  
  
Squid: I'm not dead yet ppl so don't attack me yet.  
  
Charm: You are so obilivious to the fact people actually care about you.  
  
Bri: YEAH! *crying* LIKE ME!  
  
Raja/Mitchell/Rich: AND ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Any other fans of Squid including me: AND US!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Squid: --;  
  
Zigzag: *sighs* And no one cares about me?  
  
Shaily: *glomp* I DO! ^^  
  
Charm: Oh god... And anyway... review! 


	22. Wake Me Up And Let Go

Charm: hello! Well I have a four day weekend today so I can update a lot! WOO!  
  
Squid: Oh no...... --;  
  
CHarm: Anyway, this is gonna be a kinda lovey dovey chapter.  
  
Squid: *groans*  
  
Charm: Oh shut up.  
  
Twitch: I'm bored...  
  
Charm: goodie for you... Anyway onto the update...  
  
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Chapter Twenty-Two: Wake Me Up And Let Go  
  
Alone in a pitch black room, Brianna looked around herself. She saw nothing except the endless darkness that surrounded her. Walking slowly, Brianna saw something in the distance. Interested by the object, Brianna started to stride over to the object she had seen. It seemed like amost an eternity before she reached the object. As she came closer, she saw Squid laying on his hospital bed. She placed her hand on the object and realized it was like glass. Her fingers gently stroked the glass but then the image suddenly changed. It was no longer Squid in the glass.  
  
Brianna strained her eyes to see who it was laying on the strecher in the glass. It was a girl with pale blonde hair. Her eyes were shut, her face chalky as if it had lost all the color from her face. It took Brianna a moment to realize who she was gazing upon through the glass... It was Marla, her old friend and gang member who had been murdered by Mad Dog many years ago. Brianna saw her other friends around Marla's body, all frantic in tears, except Kayla. Marla was dying right in front of Brianna and anger infuriated her, knowing she couldn't do a thing to change what had already been. Brianna brought her hand to the glass and felt tears flow out of her eyes.  
  
The image changed again, now laid a skinny brunette girl with a pale face. Her eyes closed, her breathing stopped. The girl look about the age of an older teenager. Beside her stood an IV with a blood donation bag. The girl was being given blood and an IV through her right arm. The teenaged girl laid motionless as a blonde girl with ocean blue eyes came into the room along with a blonde haired, blue eyed boy, and a dark brunette with chocolate colored eyes boy. Brianna covered her mouth in a sudden gasp of air. The girl laying on the bed was herself, when she was seventeen. From what Brianna could see, this was the time she had tried to kill herself.  
  
The blonde girl was undoubtly Shaily, becuase her eyes were a dead give away. No one of whom Brianna knew, had the same blue eyes as Shaily, except Rosie. The blonde boy was no doubt Zigzag, because Shaily hardly ever left his side during the day and his hair... The hair was a dead give away too. Brianna brought her attention to the brunette boy. He had sat quietly next to the bed stroking seventeen-year-old Brianna's hair. Brianna sighed, "Alan..."  
  
Suddenly the image changed again and went to a dark ally. Brianna knew it right away as she watched herself take a switchblade, through the glass, and place it to her skin. Brianna winced at the mere sight of what she had done in the past. Blood trickled down to the pavement. Brianna's younger self started to laugh and pulled the blade across again and harder. Brianna winced again, but this time in pain. She looked at her wrist. A slender, red cut had been formed on her wrist. Blood slowly drippled down from it. More cuts started to form on her arm from her past attempt of suicide. More blood drippled down...  
  
Brianna watched her wrist get more cuts. She was confused. Suddenly everything went dark again. Staring around herself, blankly, and still bleeding, Brianna started to hear a multitude of voices echoing around her. Only one stood out over the others.  
  
"Brianna," hissed a voice which sent a shiver down her spine. Brianna turned to face someone who had haunted her since she was fourteen. Marcus "Mad Dog" Sheldon stood there smirking. "Let it go." He told her.  
  
"What are you talking about?" asked Brianna, confused.  
  
"Y'know exactly what I'm talking about..." he whispered, gently. Brianna was shocked by Mad Dog's gentilness toward her. Brianna shrugged, still confused. Mad Dog smiled. "The past..."  
  
"What're ya talkin' about?!" she shouted, angrily.  
  
"Yer lettin' yer past over power the most important people in yer life. What's done is done. Ya can't change what has happened, no matter how much we want to. Trust me. I'd give ANYTHING to change the face I raped ya. And I mean anything. I'd die to change it. I mean just thinking about the pain I caused ya, STILL eats me up inside. I mean it drives me crazy... But... I couldn't let the fact I raped ya haunt me forever. And you can't let every little detail of yer past over power yer life now." Mad Dog explained. He looked truthful about ever word he had just said.  
  
Brianna sighed, "But what d'you mean by that?"  
  
Mad Dog smiled. "Marla's death... Yer suicide attempt... Mel's death... When ya were raped... Yer father hittin' ya... All those memories are in the past now. You've got a husband in the ICU and a close friend who has luekemia. Ya also have two sons and a daughter who still have a future to be different than yers. Bri, learn from the past, but don't hold onto it so it comes between you and the ones ya love."  
  
Brianna looked at her wrist. The cuts were still there but not bleeding. "The cuts stand how yer past is cutting into yer life now... If you want the pain to stop... You've gotta have time to heal... After ya heal... You've gotta move on." Brianna stared into Mad Dog's navy blue eyes. Tears glistened in his eyes. It was the first time Brianna saw Mad Dog cry... Actually cry.  
  
"Marcus..." whispered Brianna, feeling sympathetic to him. He smiled, tearfully at her.  
  
"So... Ya hafta let me go...along with the past..." Mad Dog told her, blinking back tears. He leaned into her and gently pecked her cheek with a good bye kiss. "G'bye," he whispered, quietly.  
  
***  
  
Brianna awoke from her sleep. She looked around the hospital room. She saw Squid laying on his hospital bed. She had fallen asleep in the chair beside his bed. She looked at her wrist, there were no cuts. It was just a dream... But it felt so real... She felt her cheek. That kiss... It felt so real... She wiped the sweat from her forehead. Was it a message? She looked at Squid still unconisious. Pain stung at her heart.  
  
She got up from the chair and kneeled beside his bed again. She ruffled his hair with her fingers. She had lived through abuse, rape, a suicide attempt, drugs, and a murder attempt... If she had survived all that, she knew Squid was going to be ok and she was too. Everything was going to be ok. She kissed Squid's cheek.  
  
"I love you..." she whispered into his ear.  
  
"I love you too," his voice whispered, hoarsly back to her. Brianna smiled, tears stinging her emerald colored eyes. Squid finally awoke after three days.  
  
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Charm: how was that? I hope it was good lol!  
  
Squid: It was too sappy...  
  
Charm: Oh shut up  
  
Twitch: *rolls eyes*  
  
Charm: Oh god. ANYWAY! I hope it was good and well REVIEW! ^^ BYEEEE! I'll update soon! CIAO! 


	23. Awake From Darkness

CHarm: hello! Thought I'd update this fic because I wanted to! LOL!  
  
Squid: Well woo for you --;  
  
Charm: oh bite me squid!  
  
Squid: Bitch!  
  
Charm: *throws a book at squid's head* *in a fake innocent voice* oops... Anyway ONTO THE CHAPTER! ^^ *goes off listening to Smile Empty Soul's "Nowhere Kids"*  
  
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Chapter Twenty-Three: Awake From Darkness  
  
Brianna stared at Squid laying there in the hospital bed, with tears forming at her eyes. Squid smiled cheesily at her as she wiped away the tears that were forming in her green eyes. He blinked, confused, and looked at his surroundings. "Where am I?" he asked. Brianna had to regain her composure before she could answer Squid. Squid looked down at his bandaged arms and grew more confused than he was at the beginning.  
  
Brianna took a breath to calm herself before she would answer him. "You were in a car wreck, Alan." Brianna told him, fighting back her straining tears. He tilted his head.  
  
"I was?" he asked, he now had a look of frustration on his face.  
  
"Yeah... I got so scared... Oh Alan... If I lost you... I dunno what I would do!" Brianna choked. Squid looked over at Brianna to see her crying. He moved his arm and gently wiped away her tears. Brianna slightly jumped out of pure shock.  
  
Squid smiled, "Don't cry, Bri." Bri sniffed and nodded. Squid tangled his fingers in Brianna's hair and stared into her face. "Good," he whispered. Suddenly, Squid yawned and Brianna knew Squid needed to rest in order for him to get better.  
  
"Alan... I'm gonna leave ya alone now ok? You need to sleep... I can tell yer still tired," Brianna said, smiling, though she really did not want to leave Squid alone again. Squid looked into her face and nodded. Brianna walked herself over to the door. "I'll be back later, ok?" Brianna assured. Squid smiled and nodded.  
  
"See ya..." He said, yawning again. Brianna walked out of the hospital room and decided she would go home for the first time in about three days.  
  
* Later: At Zig's House *  
  
"I wonder if daddy's ok?" whispered Raja, glancing at Mitchell and Rose. Mitchell smiled at his sister.  
  
"Dad's gonna be fine. Don't worry, Raj. Everything'll be ok, just like mom said," Michell explained. Raja sighed and fought the tears in her eyes. Rose moved from her place and sat herself beside Raja. Rose put her arm around Raja's shoulder.  
  
Rose whispered, "Mitch's right. Yer dad's gonna be fine. I bet he's awake right now and yer mom is coming home this very second!" Mitchell stared at Rose and shook his head while rolling his eyes. She stared at him. "What?" Rose asked in a snappish tone.  
  
Mitchell smirked, "Nothin', Rosie..."  
  
"Sure...Whatever..." Rose said, flatly. Raja giggled.  
  
Suddenly someone knocked on the door. Darting straight to the front window to see who it was, Raja peered through the curtains and saw her mother there. "MITCHELL! MOM'S BACK!" shouted Raja, gleefully. "DADDY WOKE UP!" She added in her trilling voice. Richard came down the stairs with his girlfriend, Kaylie, both of which looked confused.  
  
"What in hell's going on here?" asked Richard.  
  
"RICH! DON'T SWEAR!" Kaylie said, angrily.  
  
"Hey Kay... There's a dog behind you!" Richard teased. Kaylie jumped and turned around.  
  
"WHERE?!" she asked, scared by the fact there could be a dog behind her. WHen she saw there was no dog, she turned and glared at Richard. She slapped him a little rough in the shoulder, but still playfully. "NOT FUNNY RICHARD!" she pouted (A/N: Couldn't help it Shannon! Had to put the dog thing in there!).  
  
RIchard smirked and kissed Kaylie on the cheek. "I love ya..." he whispered into her ear. She sighed and kissed him back, smiling. He smiled back and then turned to his hlaf-siblings and Rose. "What's goin' on here?" he asked.  
  
"Mom's home!" squealed Raja, happily. Richard blinked.  
  
"Well did anyone let her in yet?" he asked. Raja looked to Mitchell, who turned to Rose and she looked back at Mitchell and Raja. Then all three looked at Richard and shook their head. He rolled his eyes. "Do I hafta do everything?" he questioned himself outloud. Kaylie rolled her eyes.  
  
"Richard...Behave!" she scolded. Richard smirked and kissed Kaylie again. He headed to the door and opened it.  
  
"Hey Mom," said Richard, smilng. "How's Dad?"  
  
Brianna came into the house and smiled. "He's ok. He woke up an hour ago. I decided to come home and let him sleep. We'll see him later ok?" Brianna explained. Richard looked relieved. Brianna glanced over Richard's shoulder and saw Kaylie. "Hey there Kaylie. How've you been?" Brianna asked.  
  
"Oh fine except Rich's been teasing me about dogs..." Kaylie said, darkly. Brianna looked at her eldest son. He smiled innocently but it was obviously fake. Brianna slightly flinched, thinking of Mad Dog, but pushed the thought from her mind.  
  
"Mom?" asked Richard, looking concerned.  
  
"Hmm?" Brianna asked.  
  
"Are you ok?"  
  
"Oh yeah, I'm fine..."  
  
"MOM!!!!" squealed Raja, running to her mother. Raja hugged Brianna around the waist.  
  
Brianna patted Raja's head, "Hey there Raj. Dad's ok... We're gonna go see him later ok?"  
  
"YAY!"  
  
"Hey Mom," said Mitchell, with a smile that looked oddly enough like the smile Squid had when he was younger.  
  
Brianna said, "Hello Mitchell. Didya hear about yer dad?" He nodded. "Ok. Well where's my crazy friend at now?" Rose giggled.  
  
"You mean my Mom right?" Rose asked, giggling. Brianna smiled and nodded. "She's in the kitchen with my Dad." Brianna nodded and walked into the kitchen. She saw Shaily and Zigzag sitting at the dinner table with a photo album and photos laying all over the table top. Brianna cleared her throat and they looked up and saw her.  
  
"BRI!" shouted Shaily, getting up and hugging Shaily.  
  
"Hey there Shail... Calm down!" Brianna said, laughing.  
  
"So?" Zigzag asked. "How is he?"  
  
"He just woke up... I left him because he seemed really tired and plus sleep is good for him. I'm taking my kids back to see him later after he's rested up for a while." Brianna explained. Zigzag sighed and seemed calmer than he originally had been. Shaily smiled. "Have Rich, Mitch, and Raja been any trouble?" asked Brianna.  
  
"No, of course not. Just a lotta teasing going on between Kaylie and Richard, but y'know... They're dating..." Shaily said. Brianna laughed and sat down. Shaily turned to Zigzag and gave him a look. He blinked and then hurrily put away the photos and the photo album away and safely into his lap.  
  
"What was that?" asked Brianna, suspicious.  
  
Shaily piped up, "Nothin'! It's nothin'! Right Ricky?" Brianna and Shaily turned to ZIgzag. He nodded and gave a cheeky smile, which made Shaily slap her forehead. "Oh for God's sake, Ricky..." muttered Shaily.  
  
"What?" he asked, perplexed.  
  
"Never mind..." hissed Shaily. Brianna smiled and laughed once again. "I bet the kids can't wait for you to take'em to see their dad." Brianna nodded and glanced at her wristwatch.  
  
Brianna gapped, "Damn! I gotta go ok? I've gotta do somethings. I'll come get Rich, Mitch, Raj, and Kaylie in about an hour...Ok?" Shaily and Zigzag nodded and watched Brianna rush back to her car and leave. Shaily sighed.  
  
"We can't let Brianna see her birthday present..." Shaily whispered, slightly happy Brianna had left. Zigzag nodded.  
  
"Yeah...But why are we making it now?! It's still February! Her birthday isn't until April! We've got plenty of time..." Zigzag pouted as he dropped the photo album back onto the table top. Shaily sat down beside him and lightly kissed him.  
  
"Because I said so!" She whispered, giggling into his ear. They heard crying. Joey came into the room, with tears running down his eyes. "Joey?"  
  
"MOM!!!!!!!! ROSIE TRIPPED ME IN THE HALLWAY!" wailed Joey. Zigzag laughed.  
  
"I'll take care of it..." Zigzag said, standing up as Joey pounced into his mother's lap and cried. Zigzag went off to find Rose.  
  
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Charm: Ok how was that! I've had writer's block on this fic for so frickin long! @@;; Ahh!  
  
Squid: Who gives a sh-*gets his mouth duct taped* Mmmmmgh!!!!  
  
Charm: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! *laughs in squid's face*  
  
Twitch: *laughing*  
  
Charm: Anyway I hope you liked it. I kinda didn't but then again I wrote what came off the top of my head. 


	24. The Big Question

Charm: So sorry for not updating this fic. I've been having writer's block with it and well I finally have an idea for it. lol. Well I'm too lazy to put up my muses right now... blah blah blah...  
  
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Chapter Twenty-Four: The Big Question  
  
It had been a month since Squid had finally awoken from the wreck he had been involved with and he had been released from the hospital. Everything now seemed to be going right back to where it should be. Everything except Richard... Richard had become very quiet and distant from everyone, including Kaylie.  
  
"Richard," Brianna said, coming up to Richard's bedroom door. "Honey come out... Please!"  
  
"No," mumbled Richard, from inside his bedroom. Brianna sighed and went into the living room. Squid looked over at her, smiling. Brianna sat down grimly beside Squid. She laid her head upon his shoulder.  
  
Squid put his arm around her. "Any luck?" he asked her. Brianna shook her head, miserably. Kaylie, who was sitting in the recliner, looked worried. She sighed. She had grown extremely worried about her boyfriend, Richard. He had never acted this before, she prayed nothing was wrong... She laid back on the recliner and watched TV and began to think about the first time she had seen Richard...  
  
* Flashback *  
  
Kaylie was working a double shift at the cafe she worked at along with her friend Shannon (A/N: HAHAHAHAHAHA I'm so original huh shannon?). The clock had just struck seven at night and Kaylie had two more hours to go..  
  
"Hey Kaylie?" asked Shannon, as she cleaned a table top next tp the table Kaylie was cleaning.  
  
Kaylie turned to her. "Yeah?"  
  
"Here comes another tip for you..." SHannon said, pointing over to a table that was assigned to Kaylie. Kaylie rolled her eyes as she hurrily finished up cleaning the table. Shannon grinned, "He's hot."  
  
"Shannon!" Kaylie groaned, rolling her eyes again. Kaylie looked over at the table and instantly blushed. "SHannon! I can't waitress that table!" Kaylie moaned, blushing.  
  
Shannon cocked an eyebrow. "Why?"  
  
"I-it's Richard... You know... that one in my Statistics class... That one I've kinda gotten a crush on!" Kaylie hissed, angrily. Shannon smirked as she glanced over at Richard.  
  
"You hafta... It's your table plus he might like you if you do a good job!" Shannon said, pushing Kaylie over to Richard's table. Kaylie knew Richard came into this cafe every Saturday and always ordered a cup of coffee and a slice of pepperoni pizza. He always would read the paper too... Shannon called Kaylie obsessed, but Kaylie was not, she was in love.  
  
Kaylie apporached Richard's table and smiled, hoping she was not blushing. RIchard looked up at her and smiled. "Do I know you?" asked Richard. Kaylie gave him a childish smile.  
  
"We're in the same Statisics class at NOU," admitted Kaylie. She could not make eye contact with him, it was just too embarassing for her. Richard smiled more and placed his newspaper down on the table. Kaylie looked confused.  
  
"You can sit down..." Richard told her, motioning to the seat in front of him at the table. Kaylie sat down slowly. "Your name's Kaylie right...?" he asked. She nodded. "Then you are that pretty girl that sits in front of me," Richard said, with a slight smirk which made Kaylie turn bright red. "I'm right because your whole face is red." He added, laughing slightly.  
  
Kaylie smiled slightly, "Uhm well I should get back to work..." Kaylie stood up and started to walk away but was stopped by Richard grabbing her hand. She turned even redder as she turned around.  
  
"Wait... I uh... was wondering... Do you have a boyfriend?" he asked.  
  
Kaylie shook her head, miserably. "No," she said, afterwards. Richard smiled.  
  
"Would you be my girlfriend then?" Richard asked her, looking into her eyes with his blue ones. She stared wide-eyed at Richard but then slowly nodded yes. He stared and then smiled more than what he had previously. He leaned into her and lightly pecked her on the cheek with a kiss. "Good," he whispered in her ear. "I'll meet you here next Friday around eight... We can go to the movies or something."  
  
"I'd like that..." Kaylie said, quietly.  
  
"I'll see ya in class then... Bye!" RIchard said, leaving the cafe and ten dollars on the table as a tip for absolutly nothing. He winked at her as he left. She turned to Shannon, who grinned at Kaylie cheesily.  
  
"I TOLDYA HE'D ASK YOU OUT! HAHAHAHAHAHA! I'M GONNA TELL THE WHOLE SCHOOL!" Shannon said, giggling like crazy and then running outside the cafe. Kaylie chased after Shannon with a rolled up newspaper.  
  
"IF YOU SAY ONE WORD I'LL KILL YOU SHANNON!!!!!!!!!!" Kaylie screamed, chasing after her friend.  
  
* End of Flashback *  
  
Kaylie sighed and got up from the recliner and headed to Richard's bedroom. She knocked on the door. "Richard! It's Kaylie! Baby! Please come out and tell me what's wrong!" Kaylie pleaded with him. Suddenly, Richard's bedroom door opened. Richard stood there smiling at Kaylie and then kissed her deeply on the mouth. She stared, confused at him. "Rich?" she asked. He winked at her mysteriously.  
  
"I've got a surprise for ya, Kaylie..." Richard said, grinning oddly at Kaylie. He walked into the living room and went into a cabniet and pulled out a wrapped box with a purple ribbon on the top. Brianna watched Richard perplexed.  
  
"Richard? What's going on?" asked Brianna.  
  
"Yeah Rich... You've been locked up in yer room for the longest time..." admitted Squid. Richard smiled cheesily.  
  
Kaylie came into the room and looked equally confused as Richard's parents. "Rich... C'mon and tell us what's going on!" said Kaylie, anxiously. Richard grabbed both of Kaylie hands and took her outside. It was night out and all the stars filled the sky. Richard sat on te porch swing with Kaylie beside him. He handed her the wrapped box.  
  
"Open it..." He said, simply. She did. Inside of the box was a cute blue, velvet material stuffed teddy bear, but what was in its paw caught Kaylie's eyes.  
  
A diamond ring.  
  
Kaylie turned to Richard and he smirked. "Read the bear's stomach..."  
  
Kaylie read the message aloud. "Will you marry me?" she quoted off the bear and then tears over took her. SHe threw her arms around Richard and he hugged her back. "I love you..." she whispered. "ANd yes I'll marry you..."  
  
"Good..." he whispered into her ear as he did when he had asked her out. Kaylie kissed him about three times before he actually got the chance to put the engagement ring onto her finger.  
  
"Alan!!! I think Richard proposed to Kaylie!" Brianna said, as she watched the coupld, or rather SPIED, through the window. Squid smiled widely.  
  
"I knew it." he said calmly.  
  
"Whatever..." hissed Brianna. Squid kissed Brianna deeply on the mouth. She smiled at him and kissed him back. "I love you..."  
  
"I love you too..."  
  
"There's gonna be another wedding!" giggled Brianna.  
  
Squid rolled his eyes. "Just what I need... More crying and sappy boringness."  
  
"THAT ISN'T EVEN A WORD ALAN!"  
  
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Charm: How was that... Tried to make the ending funny. lol. I was rushed while i wrote this... lol. So it might've seemed fast. Well REVIEW! CIAO! 


	25. Light It Up Until We Burn It Down

Charm: ok. time for another update on this fic since I neglected it for so long. lol. And plus some of the convos I had with Shannon inspired this little idea. ^^  
  
Squid: -.-;;;;;;;;  
  
Charm: Moron. Anyway hope you like the chapter. ^^ *begins to write*  
  
!!!!!WARNING!!!!! This chapter contains very detailed (kinda) sex and sex is mentioned a lot in the chapter. I have NO CLUE WHY! AH! lol. TROJAN MAN! ^^ BYEE!  
  
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Chapter Twenty-Five: Light It Up Until We Burn It Down  
  
"Brianna, can we talk?" asked Squid, coming into Brianna's office while she typed on her laptop. She glanced up at him which made him smile back at her. She took off her glasses and nodded as she saved what she had been writing. She shut her laptop while she glanced up at Squid.  
  
Brianna rested her head in her hands. "What do ya wanna talk about, Alan?"  
  
Squid leaned against the wall with a lopsided smile upon his face. He brought his eyes to Brianna's before he found his words. "Y'know Raja's gonna be ten soon..." Squid said, quietly. Brianna nodded. "Well, uhm... Have you thought about having another kid?" asked Squid.  
  
"What!?" Brianna gapped. "Alan... I'm thirty-eight...I really don't have the energy I used to have when I had Raja... I don't even have the energy I had five years ago..." Brianna sighed and rubbed her eyes with her fingers. Squid came over and stood behind while he placed his hands on her shoulders. He started massaging her shoulders gently while Brianna rubbed her head.  
  
"Baby... I know it been a long time but it would be kinda nice to have another baby girl..." Squid whispered, shrugging.  
  
Brianna smirked, "Wasn't it you who said they'd rather have a boy?"  
  
Squid laughed, "Yeah but Raja's my baby girl... and both Rich and Mitch are attached to you at the hip practically the way you've spoiled them... I just was wondering maybe we could have another and hopefully it could be a girl..." Brianna sighed as she reopened her laptop.  
  
"Lemme think about it," Brianna stated. She brought up the program she had been using before Squid had come into her office. She was working on a brand new case she was assigned to at the law firm. Squid kissed his wife on the cheek, smiling and then left her office.  
  
***  
  
Richard and Kaylie were in his car sitting in tha backseat, talking. "I'm so excited we're getting married!" trilled Kaylie, happily. Richard smiled at his fiancee and kissed her passionately on the mouth. She kissed him back just as passionately.  
  
"Hey Kay..." Richard said, putting his arms around her neck. She looked into his blue eyes and smiled.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I'm getting my own place since I graduated from college and well... I was wondering if you'd wanna move in with me..." offered Richard, smiling sweetly at Kaylie. She blushed deep red and nodded. They kissed once again and again until they were making out. Richard was laying on top of Kaylie and his hands slowly slipped under the back of her shirt.  
  
Kaylie pulled away from their kiss. "I love you..." she whispered. Richard smiled and kissed her a deeper than their previous kiss. Richard slowly pulled Kaylie shirt off of her and started kissing her neck gently. She giggled.  
  
"Yer so cute..." Richard murmured into Kaylie's ear, making her turn bright red. Richard returned his kisses to her mouth. Kaylie pulled off Richard's blue t-shirt and tossed it onto the floor of the car. She put her arms around his neck while Richard placed his arms tightly around Kaylie's slender waist.  
  
Richard pulled away from their passionate kiss and looked his girlfriend in the face and suddenly smiled. He slowly kissed her again but his hands were no longer around her waist. Richard had placed his hands on the hem of her jeans at the zipper. He slowly undoes her zipper, never breaking their kiss and then slowly pulling her jeans off.  
  
Kaylie pulled away from RIchard, panting. "I love you so much..." Kaylie told him.  
  
"I do too." Richard replied and then returned to kissing Kaylie. Kaylie slowly undid Richard's jeans and slipped them off with ease. Richard slide his hands under Kaylie's back and undid her bra as he started to kiss her neck once again. Kaylie felt him pull her underwear off and then took off his boxers.  
  
Kaylie pulled Richard in for another kiss on the mouth and placed her arms around his neck again. His arms returned to being around her waist. "Richard..." Kaylie said, quietly while kissing Richard.  
  
"Shhh." Richard whispered, kissing her hard on the mouth. Kaylie kissed him back and then felt him kissing down her neck. She winced. Richard pulled away and looked into Kaylie's face. "What's wrong?" asked Richard, perplexed and worried.  
  
"Nothing..." she lied.  
  
"Can I ask a personal question, Kay..." Richard said, politely. Kaylie nodded. Richard moved a strand of hair out of Kaylie's face and asked, "Are you a virgin?" Kaylie stared at him. "You said I could ask... Just answer me please..." Richard pleaded.  
  
Kaylie sighed, "Well...yes..."  
  
RIchard smiled and kissed Kaylie again. "That explains it..."  
  
"Explains what?" snapped Kaylie.  
  
"Why you winced..."  
  
"Very funny..."  
  
Richard kissed down Kaylie's neck and then deeply on the mouth. She smiled at him eventually. "Just calm down..." He whispered to her. Kaylie sighed. "What now?" asked Richard, confused once again.  
  
"Are YOU a virgin?" she asked him out of curiousity.  
  
"No." He said, simply. "I had sex with my ex-girlfriend Claire when we we're sixteen." RIchard explained. "Why didya wanna know?" Kaylie shrugged and pulled Richard in for a kiss.  
  
"Curious." She said winking, as they both kissed each other deeply.  
  
***  
  
Squid came back into Brianna's office with a smirk on his face. Brianna noticed, "What?"  
  
"Nothing..." Squid said, sitting on Brianna's desk chair since she was at her fax machine, faxing an important document to another law firm. He spun around in her chair, childishly and Brianna shook her head miserably. He smiled stupidly at her. "Bri?" he asked, afterwards.  
  
Brianna turned toward him and smiled. "Yeah?" she said, sighing slightly.  
  
"I love you." Squid told her, happily. Brianna laughed.  
  
"I love you too," she told him as she walked over toward him. She placed her hands at her hips as he gave her another lopsided smile. "Hey Alan...?" asked Brianna. He smiled wider.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Have you seen Richard anywhere? I got a fax about the apartment he wanted and he needs to look at the papers..." Brianna sighed. Squid slapped his forehead after she ruined the whole mood. He pouted loudly. Brianna turned toward him again, with a smile on her face. She leaned into him and kissed him lightly. Squid kissed her back but his kiss was passionate.  
  
Squid got out of Brianna's desk chair and sat Brianna up onto her desk. He placed her arms around his neck and his went around her waist. He leaned his forehead against hers and then kissed her lightly on the mouth. She returned the kiss with her own but then he kissed her harder. Brianna pulled away. "Alan? What're ya doing?" she asked, confused.  
  
Squid smirked and kissed her again. "Kissing you..." he said, simply after he pulled away from the previous kiss. Brianna laughed.  
  
"Oh ok then..." Brianna said, kissing her husband back.  
  
"Mom! Dad! I-UGH! GROSS! STOP! IT BURNS!" Mitchell shouted, as he saw his parents almost making out together on his mother's desk. Brianna and Squid both blushed and Squid let Brianna off of her desk.  
  
* THe Next Day *  
  
Richard and Kaylie drug into the house around five in the morning. They hurrily snuck into Richard's bedroom but someone was there to greet them. It was Brianna. She smiled. "Where have you two been?" she asked, politely. Richard and Kaylie exchanged nervous looks.  
  
"Uhm..." Kaylie whispered.  
  
"We were out driving," Richard lied. Brianna placed her hands at her hips.  
  
"Yer lying... I can tell RIchard... I know you," said Brianna, smirking slightly. "Now tell the truth..." Richard looked at Kaylie.  
  
"Can we talk about this later mom... Please!" pleaded Richard, yawning. She sighed and let them go into Richard's room. Brianna walked back into her own bedroom and saw Squid laughing at her as she came in.  
  
She glared, "What're ya laughing Alan?"  
  
"You handled that situation well... I know you know what happened so tell me since I'm here in the dark," Squid said, calmly and laughing. Brianna got back into the bed beside him and laid her head upon his chest. "Bri, sweetie... Tell me!" he pouted.  
  
"They had sex... I can see it in their eyes." Brianna explained.  
  
Squid looked confused. "How?" he asked.  
  
"Alan Squid Smith... How long have we been married? I think long enough to know the look in a couple's eyes to know they had sex... It's just a little glint or spark in their eyes that gives it away... They had sex... I know it," Brianna said, triumphantly.  
  
Squid laughed, "Did I ever have a "glint" in my eyes?"  
  
Brianna rolled her eyes. "You ALWAYS wanna have sex so it never went away after we frist had sex." Squid smiled at her and kissed her neck lightly. "See there you go again!" joked Brianna. Squid glanced at the clock beside the bed.  
  
"Dammit... I gotta go baby... I'll be late for work... I'll come by the firm later with lunch," Squid said, kissing Brianna goodbye. He went into the bathroom and got ready to leave and hurrily went downstairs and left.  
  
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	26. The Loss Of A Lifetime

Charm: Hello everyone! I thought I might update this and leave you with a terrible note... haha. I will be ending this fic soon. And there will be NO SEQUEL! I have accopmlished a trilogy once this is finished and there will be no more to this trilogy of Brianna and Squid. But on the bright side... I'll have more time for my other fics... I've been trying to get this one done before summer break let's out and that'll be in a little over a month. This will be one of the last three (maybe) chapters of this fic, not including the epilogue.  
  
Squid: You talk way too much.  
  
Charm: Like Mr. Big Mouth of CGL has room to speak... *glare*  
  
squid: heh. ^^;;  
  
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Chapter Twenty-Six: The Loss Of A Lifetime  
  
Brianna had recently the previous month received the news that she was pregnant once again. Squid was thrilled and had already begun to prepare for the baby's arrival. He was sure it would be a girl. Brianna thought it wasn't such a great idea to plan the arrival already when they didn't even know the baby's sex yet.  
  
"Alan... What makes you so sure this baby'll be a girl?" asked Brianna, smiling as she watched her husband redecorate Richard's old room, since he had moved out with Kaylie. Squid turned and grinned at his wife.  
  
"Well..." he said. "I want it to be a girl!"  
  
Brianna rolled her eyes. "Oh my God..."  
  
* Two Weeks Later *  
  
Richard and Kaylie had begun planning their wedding and already choosen a date for it. Richard had picked June fifth because it was exactly a month after his mom and Squid's wedding and anniversary day. The current date was April third, the day before Brianna's birthday and a month and two days until Brianna and Squid's anniversary.  
  
"Mom!" Richard shouted, running up to his mother in the driveway.  
  
"What Richard?" asked Brianna, turning to her son. Richard handed her a white envelope. Brianna looked puzzled.  
  
Richard grinned, "It's the wedding invitation... We've already got everything planned out... Heh... I mean we have been engaged for months now, well maybe a little over a month but oh well!" Brianna laughed as she opened the invite from her oldest son. She quickly read over it and smiled at him.  
  
"We'll be there Richard." Brianna assured him.  
  
"Thanks Mom."  
  
Brianna pinched Richard's cheek. "Of course I'd go to my oldest baby's wedding..." Brianna cooed in a fake babyish voice. Richard blushed, embarassed by his mother's remark. "I'm kidding Richard..." Brianna added. He smiled and got back into his car and drove back to his apartment. Brianna went inside, not feeling well. Her stomach ached with pain that she had never felt before, not while being pregnant.  
  
Brianna felt her forehead and realized she had a fever. "Maybe I should go to the doctor... This is getting rather annoying," Brianna said, aloud to herself. She grabbed her keys and drove herself to the doctor to see what was wrong with her.  
  
***  
  
Squid sat on the reclining chair while he read the newspaper. He wondered where Brianna could have gone, since this was her day off from the law firm. He sighed as he turned the page of the newspaper. He glanced at his wristwatch, it had just turned four thirty in the afternoon. "Where could she be?" he said, quietly as he read the paper.  
  
"DAD!" Mitchell shouted, coming into the living room and pouncing onto the couch. Squid lowered his newspaper into his lap.  
  
"What?" asked Squid.  
  
"Rosie and I are gonna go to the movies later today... And well we need a ride... Could you take us since I can't find Mom?" Mitchell explained.  
  
Squid nodded, "Sure. What time?"  
  
Mitchell pondered briefly before having his answer. "Around seven tonight... I'll call when it's over..." Squid nodded and Mitchell ran off back to his room.  
  
"Alan?" whispered Brianna, coming into the living room after leaving the garage. She looked quite upset. Squid lowered his paper once again and saw Brianna.  
  
He tilted his head confused. "What?" he asked.  
  
Brianna blinked a few times as if she were holding back tears in her eyes. She motioned for Squid to come into their bedroom and he did so. Brianna shut the door and sat on their bed with Squid following the suit and sitting beside her. "A-Alan... I went to the doctor today... I wasn't feeling good at all... And well..." Brianna stuttered, tearing up.  
  
"Bri, whatever it is... I'm sure it's gonna be ok..." Squid said, smiling.  
  
Brianna shook her head. "No it won't... I lost it..."  
  
Squid looked confused. "Lost what?" he asked.  
  
"I had a miscarriage Alan... I lost the baby!" cried Brianna, covering her face with her hands and breaking down into tears. Squid stared flabbergasted by his wife's response.  
  
"You lost the baby?" he repeated quietly. Brianna nodded, her face still buried in her hands and obviously crying. Squid put his arm around Brianna's shoulder and pulled her in for a hug. "Shh... It's ok..." Squid whispered. "We can always try again."  
  
"No... I can't have anymore children... The doctor said I couldn't..."  
  
"Oh..." said a crestfallen Squid.  
  
"I'm so stupid... This is all my fault..." muttered Brianna. Squid hugged her tightly.  
  
Squid sighed, "It isn't your fault... It just wasn't meant to be I guess, but it wasn't your fault. Don't blame yourself." Brianna pulled away from the hug and wiped the tears from her face. She looked away from Squid and up at the ceiling.  
  
"I still feel awful."  
  
Squid made Brianna face him and he gently kissed her on the mouth. "Everything's gonna be ok..." he assured. Brianna buried her face into his chest, still feeling guilty about the miscarriage. Squid rested his head on top of hers as he held her close to him. Squid sighed. They had made it through harder times which convinced Squid they would make it through this. "I love you, Brianna." Squid whispered into her ear, gently.  
  
"I love you too..." sighed Brianna.  
  
* Two Months Later *  
  
It was June fifth and the day of Richard and Kaylie's wedding. Brianna and Squid sat in the front of the church with Mitchell at Brianna's left. Raja was going to be the flower girl in the wedding along with Joey being the ringbearer. Richard stood at the altar looking like a nervous wreck. Standing off in the back and leaning against the wall, Richard had noticed was his real father, Mad Dog. Brianna, amazingly, didn't mind Mad Dog's presence at the wedding.  
  
The music began to play as Raja in her little white dress and her long brown hair wrapped elegantly into a beautiful bun walked down the aisle along with Joey. He held a pillow which had the two wedding bands on them. Raja grew a little over excited and started throwing the flowers at the people in the seats along with throwing the flowers onto the floor.  
  
After Raja and Joey had walked down the aisle, Kaylie's friend Shannon and Richard's friend Kevin walked down the aisle. Shannon was Kaylie's maiden of honor and Kevin was named Richard's man of honor. Shannon wore a red strapless dress with a see-through black colored scarf around her arms. In her hands were a small bouquet of white lillies and red roses. Shannon had her auburn colored hair wrapped in an elegant bun with curly strands of hair hanging down from it. Kevin wore a black tuxedo and a red carnation on the left side of the jacket. His arm was locked with Shannon's as they walked down it together.  
  
Richard fidgeted around as he realized Kaylie would be next to walk down the aisle. He took a deep breath to calm himself. He looked at the entrance and waited for Kaylie to come through the doors with her dad. He sighed. He hadn't seen Kaylie for twenty-four hours.  
  
The music changed to the traditional wedding march and Kaylie stood at the entrance with her arm locked with her father's arm. She wore a white veil over her face and her long white dress fit beautifully over her body. Kaylie held a huge bouquet of her favorite flowers within her hands and her hair fixed so her tiara, which was connected to the veil, fit around her bun. She walked down the aisle with her father until she met Richard at the alter.  
  
The priest at the alter went through the vows with Richard and Kaylie until they said their 'I do's' and placed the rings on eachother's finger.  
  
"By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife... You may kiss the bride," the priest said. Richard smiled as he lifted Kaylie's veil and kissed her deeply on the mouth. Everyone cheered as they pulled away. Kaylie and Richard's friends started to pelt them with rice as they ran out of the church together.  
  
Brianna and Squid were now alone in the church. Raja and Mitchell had gone home with Shaily and Zigzag. Brianna glanced at Squid and smiled.  
  
"Is Alan Smith crying?" she asked, smirking.  
  
Squid glared at her as he wiped away tears from his face. "No! I have allergies..."  
  
"Oh my God..." Muttered Brianna. Brianna felt a sharp pain in her left arm and her stomach began to hurt terribly. Brianna's breathing became labored as the pain grew worse. Brianna winced, now feeling the pain in her chest.  
  
"Bri?" asked Squid, seeing something was wrong.  
  
"Alan... Call an ambulance..."  
  
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Charm: Oooooooooo cliffy!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Squid: BRIANNA! NO!!!!!! IS SHE GONNA DIE!?!?!?!? BRIANNA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHH!  
  
Charm: 0.o; omg.  
  
Shaily: ANyway............  
  
Charm: Well I hope you like this... Review! ^.^ 


	27. My Last Breath

Charm: heh... I left everyone with one of the biggest cliffy's I have ever came up with! Hehehehe.  
  
Squid: BRIANNA! SHE CAN'T DIE! CHARM! YOU BIT-!  
  
Charm: NO SWEARING! *thwaks Squid*  
  
Squid: OW!!!!  
  
Charm: Anyway... Onto the chapter...  
  
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Chapter Twenty-Seven: My Last Breath  
  
Squid sat in the waiting room of the hospital ER awaiting the news of his wife's condition. He rubbed his eyes with his fingers as tears stung them. Richard and Kaylie sat across from him equally worried. Mitchell and Raja remained at Shaily and Zigzag's house but Rosie and Mitchell were left in charge so Shaily and Zigzag could be at the hospital. Squid had never felt pain like this before; he might loose her for real this time.  
  
"Squid?" asked Zigzag, quietly. Squid brought his attention to Zigzag.  
  
"What?" Squid said, his heart aching deep inside. Zigzag sat beside Squid and sighed.  
  
"Everything'll be alright..." Zigzag assured.  
  
Squid wasn't so sure about Zigzag's assumption. Squid rose from his chair and headed to another room. He needed to clear his mind so he would be able to think. Squid leaned against the wall of the empty room and slide down to the carpeted floor in tears. "Brianna... Don't die... Dammit... Don't die on me yet..." Squid whispered, crying.  
  
*Flashback *  
  
"It can't be that bad!" Squid protested. Brianna gave him a look that said shut up please. "Ok ok! Jeez, I'm just trying to make you feel a little better. You seemed real scared by that dream you had."  
  
"I know. My father's a bastard."  
  
"What?"  
  
"He ran off with some other woman when I was younger. He divorced my mother and never calls or anything. He hates my family. He hates his own family," she whispered fighting back her tears. "And I hate him for leaving my mother and leaving me in to support my little brother... My mother has to work two jobs and she still can't support us."  
  
"At least you have a mother who cares," whispered Squid.  
  
"What?" asked Brianna, looking stunned.  
  
"Never mind, it doesn't matter. Go back to sleep," Squid said quickly. Brianna blinked and sighed. She bit her lip and pushed her hair behind her ear. Squid got up off her bed and started walking away from her. He stopped suddenly. He turned back around and came back to her. He slowly walked back. She blushed again.  
  
He leaned into her and got inches from her face. He slowly pressed his lips to hers. She blinked and couldn't believe this! She blushed darker and finally fell into his kiss. It was so warm and sweet. Squid then pulled away and smiled. He kissed her cheek again and she sat there. He went back to his bed and went back to sleep.  
  
*End of Flashback *  
  
Squid remembered that moment as if it were yesterday. So many memories shared between the two of them. Brianna couldn't die, not now. They have a family together, and they've been to hell and back together. She couldn't give in now. He knew she was stronger than that and she would make it through this.  
  
"Squid?" said a voice off to side, in the shadows of the room. Squid turned his attention to the voice. He stared.  
  
"Mad Dog?" asked Squid, astounded.  
  
Mad Dog walked out from the darkness and sat down next to Squid. He brought one knee up into a bent position to lean his arm against it. "Is she ok?" he asked, concerned. Squid shrugged. Mad dog sighed as he looked at the wall on the other side of the room. "Brianna's a strong girl, trust me, I know... She WILL make it through this. I swear on my gang's code that she'll be all right." Mad Dog promised. Squid shook his head.  
  
"If I loose her I think I'll go insa—"  
  
"Go insane... I know that feeling. Once you love her, it's hard to let her go. It's almost like your addicted to her. You never want to let her go. Once you've kissed her it's over. I still haven't gotten over her..." Mad Dog explained. Squid stared at Mad Dog, amazed the man who raped his wife understood his feelings at this very moment.  
  
Squid opened his mouth to speak and not a single word came from his mouth. Mad Dog laughed as raked his fingers through his raven black hair. Squid finally found his words. "How did you know?" Squid asked, amazed at Mad Dog being able to show compassion to someone other than himself, Brianna and Richard.  
  
Mad Dog smirked, "Funny thing about Brianna... Once you love her... You'll do anything to change so you'll make her the happiest women alive... You'll do anything to keep her with you, even if it means violence because you're so blinded by love your heart overpowers your mind." Mad Dog paused and sighed again. He glanced at Squid and patted his shoulder. "Brianna was the love of my life and I never meant to hurt her..."  
  
Squid remained silent for a while, recalling all the trauma Mad Dog had brought to Brianna's life. A question tugged away at Squid's mind. He turned to Mad Dog. "How did you and Brianna end up together?" asked Squid. "She never did tell me."  
  
Mad Dog's navy blue eyes widened in shock. "I never thought you'd ask me that question... Well... There's a first time for everything right?" Mad Dog paused again as he rubbed the back of his neck with his left hand. "We met when we were like nine and we became friends so fast it would make your head spin. And by the time we were eleven, we were dating. Sure, she was forming a gang behind my back but she lied when she said she left mine that summer... She didn't leave until she was thirteen..."  
  
Squid sighed, "What made her date you?"  
  
Mad Dog shrugged, "I dunno... but we truly did love each other until I messed everything up between us..." Squid rubbed his forehead as the tears fell down his face. Squid stood up and headed to the ER waiting room. Mad Dog stood up as well. "Hey Squid... She'll be fine." Mad Dog said, smiling. Squid smiled slightly and walked into the ER waiting room. Mad Dog put his hands into his pockets and walked away.  
  
"SQUID!" Shaily cried, out.  
  
"What?" asked Squid, looking taken aback.  
  
"Brianna... She's... She's..." Shaily choked on her tears.  
  
Squid stared, terrified. "She's not dead yet right?" he asked, his heart falling to the pit of his stomach. He prayed she was not dead yet. He could not picture life without Brianna now, not after everything that had been through together.  
  
Shaily shook her head. "No," she paused. "But she's close..." Squid felt his world crashing down all around him. "The doctors are saying there's not much they can do... They were saying her heart was really damaged badly and she's barely holding on now. I think she was holding on for you..."  
  
Squid blinked, "What?"  
  
"She wants to say goodbye... I know her... She always said if she was gonna die, she'd hold on until the person whom she cared about the most was there for her to be able to say goodbye to..." Shaily explained. Squid felt a single tear run down his face. He was loosing her, the only girl he ever loved... "So you should go in there... The doctors'll letcha in since they know she's gonna go soon..." Shaily said, crying now. Zigzag came up to Shaily and pulled her into a hug.  
  
Squid took a deep breath and walked into the ER and to Brianna's bed. There she laid with her heart monitor beeping, but just barely. Squid sat down in the chair beside her bed and slipped his hand into her own. She smiled slightly, knowing who it was.  
  
"Alan," whispered Brianna, in a raspy voice.  
  
"Brianna?" Squid asked, quietly.  
  
"I love you, Alan," Brianna said, affectionately.  
  
Squid fought back his tears. "I love you too, Bri." He took another deep breath. "More than anything," he added, afterwards. Brianna smiled again and slowly turned her head to look Squid in the face. "Brianna... Don't go..."  
  
Brianna kissed Squid's hand and saw the tears in his eyes. "I love you more than anything..." Brianna paused and winced. A tear fell down her cheek as she reopened her emerald colored eyes. "And I always will..."  
  
"But... Brianna... You can't leave me..."  
  
She sighed gently and slowly brought her hand to Squid's cheek. She let her fingers gently run down his cheek. He closed his eyes as he savored every moment. Brianna's breathing had become labored while she stared into Squid's eyes, tears forming in her own. Squid kissed Brianna passionately on the mouth, making her smile but suddenly she frowned.  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Squid, knowing that question was just plain stupid.  
  
Brianna trembled, "I don't wanna die yet... I tried to kill myself as a teenager, but now... Even now... isn't long enough. I don't wanna leave you yet, Alan..." Squid kissed her on the mouth.  
  
"Everything's gonna be fine..." he assured her. "You just hafta hold on. You're strong enough to live through this."  
  
"What if I don't?!" Brianna cried out, putting more stress on her heart. Squid calmed her down before a nurse came into the area. "What if I di—"  
  
"Don't talk like that. You'll be fine!" Squid affirmed, now believing it himself. He kissed her again on the mouth and rested his head on her head. She smiled. "You can do this."  
  
Brianna sighed and nodded. "I'll try..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Charm: How was that? I hope it was good. I'm doing my best to end this fic. Lol. Well I'm lazy so REVIEW! 


	28. One Last Time

Charm: Hello and welcome to the final chapter of the Brianna/Squid trilogy. FINALLY! YAY!!!! FOR ME!!!!!!!!!  
  
Random Fans: ::attack charm::  
  
Charm: OW DAMMIT! ::pushes them away:: BACK I SAY! ::pulls out duct tape:: STAY BACK OR I'LL USE IT ON YOU! ESPECIALLY YOU MARLY! YOU WILL NEVER CHOKE ME!  
  
Squid: Will you just get on with this... God...  
  
Charm: Right... Well onto the final chapter...maybe... of this fic and after will be the epilogue!

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: One Last Time**  
  
A few years went by, Squid laid in his bed, beside the woman he has been in love with since he was seventeen. His arm tightly wrapped around her waist, he slowly pulled her closer to him. After the incident at Kaylie and Richard's wedding, Squid was afraid to death of loosing her. He would not have been able to take it if he had lost her, that, to him, would have been a hell he would never escape. He smiled, contently, realizing that wasn't going to happen, not yet anyway... He still had his little piece of Heaven with him... until...  
  
Squid's alarm clock went off, making him quickly let go of her so he would be able to turn off the ringing clock. He groaned, hating getting up at four in the morning to go to work. This reminded him of his time spent at Camp Green Lake, which made this annoyance only worse. He saw her roll over onto her side, her emerald eyes wide open and awake. She wore a grin upon her face.  
  
"Have fun today, Alan," she giggled, mockingly.  
  
Squid pretended to glare at her. "Oh leave me alone, Brianna," he said, giving her a lopsided grin, which only made her laugh.  
  
"You're so weird," she added, childishly. Squid leaned in and kissed her deeply on the mouth. "And I love you for it," she said, gladly returning the kiss. Squid got up and went into the bathroom as Brianna tried her best to get back to sleep, but unfortunately she could not, because of the racket Squid was causing in the bathroom. "What are you doing in there?!" she asked, perplexed at the noise coming from the bathroom.  
  
"I can't find my clean shirts!!!!!" he shouted, back at her. Brianna slapped her forehead.  
  
"Idiot," she mused.  
  
Squid peaked his head out of the bathroom door and stared at his wife. "What did you say, Bri?" he question.  
  
She smiled, innocently, "Nothing, love." Squid smiled back at her, obilivious as to what she had said a few moments ago. Brianna only could laugh at what had just happen.  
  
"BRI!" pouted Squid, coming back out of the bathroom in his boxers. Brianna smiled slightly.  
  
Brianna whispered, "Didya check the closet?"  
  
"Yes!" pouted Squid.  
  
Brianna laughed slightly, "Try the dresser." Squid went over to the dresser and searched the dresser. After about five minutes of searching, Squid finally found one of his clean shirts.  
  
Brianna tried to sleep once again, until Squid said, "Brianna, which tie should I use?"  
  
"Black," Brianna said, not even opening her eyes to see what he was wearing.  
  
"Thanks babe," Squid said, glancing over at her and noticing she had fallen asleep again. He laughed softly to himself as he finished preparing for another long day at his job. He walked over to Brianna's side of the bed and kissed her on the cheek, making her eyes flutter open.  
  
"What now?" she asked, sleepily.  
  
"Will you come by later?" he asked, innocently.  
  
Brianna could only smile as she nodded. "Yes. Now stop whining," she said, kissing Squid gently. He smirked as she pushed him away. "Alan... no..." hissed Brianna, making him blush.  
  
"Fine..." Squid whispered. "I'll see you later, right?"  
  
"Yes, Alan... Don't worry," she assured, smiling at him. They kissed each other goodbye and Squid left, leaving Brianna finally able to sleep. She slept until eight in the morning, because her adoptive son, Pierce (a/n: SHANNON!). Pierce's real mother was Kaylie's friend, Shannon, but Shannon wasn't exactly ready to have a third child. Her and her husband, Ryan, already had twins, and Shannon decided she would give Pierce to Brianna and Squid.  
  
"MOMMY!" Pierce cried out, bouncing onto the bed.  
  
Smiling, Brianna asked, "What Pierce?"  
  
"I'm hungry!" Pierce bubbled, happily. Brianna smiled and got out of bed behind Pierce, who raced to the kitchen. Brianna smiled at her youngest son. She looked at her other two children, Raja and Mitchell. Raja was thirteen, had a boyfriend and starting eigth grade. Mitchell was turning seventeen in a few months, and he had been dating Rose since they were freshman.  
  
Mitchell smiled, his green eyes flashing happily. "_Mom_?" he asked.  
  
"Yes?" Brianna said as she prepared ceral for Pierce's breakfast.  
  
Mitchell smiled innocently. "Can I use your car today?"  
  
"No..." Brianna said, handing Pierce his breakfast.  
  
"But Mom!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"_Damn_," he murmured, to himself.  
  
Raja smiled, "Mom! Mitchell said a bad word!"  
  
"_No one_ likes a _snitch_, Raj," muttered Mitchell, glaring at his younger sibling. Brianna shook her head as she sighed.  
  
"_Both of you_ need to behave," she said, firmly.  
  
Both Raja and Mitchell glared at eachother and slowly mumbled, "I'm sorry." Then they both turned away, in anger. Pierce stared, confused as to what was going on at the very moment. After an hour, Mictchell darted out the door to walk to Rose's house so they could talk. Raja went off to the movies with her close friends and Pierce was dropped off at his babysitter's house. Brianna finally had the car to herself and drove to Squid's office, parked, and finally went inside. When she came to his office, she saw him working hard on a document and she snuck in and stood behind him.  
  
"Guess who?" she whispered into his ear, after covering his eyes.  
  
"Someone who brought me lunch?" he asked, mockingly.  
  
Brianna laughed, uncovering his eyes and kissing his cheek. "Yes," Brianna said, surprising him, as she placed his lunch out in front of him. Squid looked up at Brianna with a smile spreading across his face. "What?" asked Brianna, confused.  
  
"Nothing," He said, turning back to his food and beginning to eat.  
  
"Alan?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Did you get the mail before you left this morning?" asked Brianna, curiously. Squid nodded and handed Briann the small stack of letters they had received. Brianna leaned against the wall as she went through each letter until she came to the last one... "Oh my God," Brianna said dropping the other letters.  
  
"What? What's wrong?" asked Squid, concerned.  
  
Brianna opened the letter and quickly read through and almost fainted. "A-Alan..."  
  
"What?" he asked, turning in her chair to see her.  
  
"Marcus is dead," she whispered. "Really dead this time... he was shot down by a cop during a drug raid of Terry's house... Mad Dog was stupid and shot the cops and got shot back," mumbled Brianna.  
  
"And what would this hafta do with us?"  
  
Brianna slowly whispered, tears coming out of her eyes. "We hafta go to his funeral... Well... at least Richard and I need to go..."

* * *

Charm: I changed my mind... Next chapter will be the last one... lol. I like the way this story's gonna end! n.n yay! BUT THIS WASN'T THE LAST CHAPTER! NEXT WILL BE THE LAST I PROMISE! 


	29. Spread Your Wings And Soar

Charm: This shall be the last chapter. I had a spiffy (heh love that word) idea for it. Lalala ::watches Secret Window again:: I WANNA READ THE BOOK NOW! ::pout::  
  
Squid: Oh you're watching that again!?  
  
Charm: Yes, and you're gonna sit right here and watch it too!  
  
Squid: Uh no... ::edges to door::  
  
Charm: ::pulls him back and forces him to sit down:: WATCH! OR BE DUCT TAPED! ::calms down and begina writing the chapter:: Nikki I know you're going to be crying since I think... you are the only fan of Mad Dog... And yeah!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the song "Soar" from Christina Aguilera. It belongs to her and other people. Just not me...  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Spread Your Wings And Soar  
  
Brianna, Squid, and Richard arrived in New Orleans around three in the afternoon. Brianna took a deep breath as they walked outside the airport. Looking around the city she grew up in, memories began to flood within her mind. "Bri?" asked a voice she had not heard in years. Brianna turned to see her younger brother... Jason.  
  
"Jason?" Brianna cried out, hugging her brother and dropping her baggage. Jason gave her a cheesy smile as they seperated from their long hug. Picking up her baggage, Brianna could not help but start letting happy tears fall down her face.  
  
Jason looks over at Richard, and Jason's eyes become big and confused. "Who's this, sis?" asked Jason, his gray eyes looking into Richard's face.  
  
"My oldest son... Alan's step-son, Richard. You were very young when I had him. I was only fourteen," Brianna explained. She had left out certain details about Richard, knowing how embarassing the fact he was a rape child was for Richard. "So he's your nephew," Brianna added, smiling.  
  
Jason still remained confused at Richard, making Brianna laugh. Jason shook his head and led Richard, Squid, and Brianna to his car. Richard and Squid got the backseat and Brianna sat in the front passenger's seat. Looking out the window, memories began to flash within Brianna's mind. She sighed. So many memories she kept here. So many secrets...  
  
"Brianna, you never told me why you guys were coming here..." Jason said, as he drove back to his house.  
  
Brianna took a deep breath and moved her attention to Jason. Brianna felt burning tears in her eyes. Even though she hated Mad Dog for all the pain he had caused her in the past, she still thought there was something in him that was just a little sane. She knew the real him, before he went insane... Before he had become a rapist... One event changed Mad Dog though...  
  
"And it was my fault," Brianna said, silently in her head.  
  
:: Flashback ::  
  
"Marcus! I think I've got what it takes to win! Why don't you show your girlfriend some fucking support!!" screamed Brianna, her green eyes flashing dangerously. Mad Dog rolled his eyes. "You don't care do you?! I've gotta see if I have what it takes!" Brianna cried out.  
  
"You should be focusing on the gang, Bri," Mad Dog said, calmly. "Not some stupid singing contest." Brianna glared, and Mad Dog, of course, noticed her deadly glare. "Brianna, it's not that I don't believe you can't sing... You have the most beautiful voice I've ever heard, I just wish you would care for the gang more than for yourself..."  
  
Brianna snorted, "Like you have room to talk."  
  
Mad Dog glanced at her out of the corner of her eyes with a smirk placed upon his lips. "Watch it..." he muttered at her. Brianna pouted, angrily. "I know you're pissed but I need you at the job we've gotta pull today," Mad Dog wihspered, putting his arms behind his head and leaning back on his chair.  
  
Brianna growled, "I'm going to get into that singing competition wether you like it or not, Marcus!" After that, Brianna kicked the chair from under Mad Dog, making him fall hard onto his back. He cursed loudly, and commanded for her to remain in the room, but she stormed out, not caring at all.  
  
"FUCK!" sweared Mad Dog, loudly as he stood up from the ground, his back throbbing with pain.  
  
:: End Of Flashback ::  
  
Brianna sighed loudly as she stared out of the window. Silent tears laced down her cheeks, as she looked out into the horizon. New Orleans had changed so much since she was a teenager... She hardly saw any gangs walking around, huddled in groups. Jason glanced at his older sister, and saw the amazed look plastered on her face. He smiled, slightly out of amusement.  
  
"You won't find many gangs anymore, Bri..." Jason whispered, his voice so much deeper than what it used to be. He had grown up just like her... You can't be a child forever...  
  
"Why?" she asked.  
  
"The police got smart and finally nailed most of them... The Scorpions were really nailed bad, most of them went to prision. But Mad Dog... was," Jason was stopped by Squid clearing his throat, trying to get Jason to shut up.  
  
Brianna sighed, "He was shot and killed. Me and Richard are here for the funeral. Alan just came because he thought he should." Jason's eyes widened as he drove.  
  
"I didn't know you cared so much about him," Jason admitted.  
  
Brianna smiled sadly. "I didn't know it either. But everything happens for a reason, right?" she whispered.  
  
:: Flashback ::  
  
"Mom! I MADE IT! I GOT IN THE SING COMPETITION!" cried out Brianna, happily running into the house through the front door. Her mother stared at her, shocked.  
  
"You actually got into it?" aske dher mother, excitedly.  
  
Brianna nodded, jumping up and down excitedly. "I can't believe it! I got in!" Brianna cheered, hugging her mother tightly in her arms. Brianna ran around the house, annoucing she had gotten into the competition for the next five minutes, makingher mother laugh.  
  
Jason walked in, looking confused. "What's going on?" he asked.  
  
Brianna smiled, hugged her brother and went off to her room, skipping happily. "I got into a singing competition!" she cheered.  
  
Her mother called out after her, "When is the competition Brianna?"  
  
"Next Friday!" Brianna shouted.  
  
"Oh ok!"  
  
:: End of Flashback ::  
  
Never change who you want to be... Brianna was a huge supporter of being yourself and no one esle, she still is... She never cared what anyone thought about her. If she was happy with herself, that was all that mattered to her. Nothing else until life gave her a reality check.  
  
Brianna saw the cemintary, and a weeping group of people crowded around a grave. "Marcus..." Brianna whispered, weeping now herself. Jason pulled over, letting Brianna and Richard get out of the car. "Alan stay here. This is something I hafta do for myself," Brianna said, stopping Squid. He smiled, knowing what she meant.  
  
"You ready mom?" asked Richard, looking uneasy. Brianna nodded as they walked out to the group of people.  
  
A female who looked about the same age as Brianna glared dangerously. Brianna only smiled lazily. "Hello Josephine," Brianna said, calmly.  
  
"You little bitch! How dare you show up to this!" screamed the woman, Brianna had called Josephine.  
  
Brianna snorted, "I have as much right being here as you... At least I'm not a murderer..."  
  
Josephine glared deathly. "Don't call me a murderer. Your brother was asking for it! He owed Marcus money!"  
  
Brianna smirked, "What ever you say... Diamond..." Richard looked confused. "She's nothing but a dimestore whore, Richard," Brianna added, making Richard laugh. Brianna had Richard follow her to the casket. Brianna placed her hand over the beautiful wooden casket. She knew he was dead for real this time... Brianna finally knew why he did everything he had done...  
  
He loved her...  
  
Brianna closed her eyes. The memory that caused him to go over hte edge, flashed through her mind like an endless movie.  
  
:: Flashback ::  
  
"Why can't you let me make my own choices Marcus!?" screamed Brianna, getting ready to go out onto the stage for her performance. Mad Dog glared at her intently.  
  
"You went back on the Scoprion's Code Of Honor dammit!" Mad Dog shouted, wanting to strangle her but held back his violent streak. Brianna rolled her eyes and started to step out onto the stage. Mad Dog stared angrily. "YOU GO OUT THERE BRIANNA AND YOU'LL REGRET THE DAY YOU EVER HEARD THE NAME MARCUS "MAD DOG" SHELDON!" roared Mad Dog, watching her walk onto the stage in front of many people. Brianna ignored Mad Dog's warning and grabbed the microphone as the music for the song she would sing came on the speaker. Her school choir stood behind her waiting for their cue as well. Brianna's beautiful singing voice began to ring throughout the school assembly room.  
  
--When they push, when they pull  
  
Tell me can you hold on  
  
When they say you should change  
  
Can you lift your head high and stay strong  
  
Will you give up, give in  
  
When your heart's crying out "that is wrong"  
  
Will you love you for you at the end of it all  
  
Now in life there's gonna be times  
  
When you're feeling low  
  
And in your mind insecurities seem to take control  
  
We start to look outside ourselves  
  
For acceptance and approval  
  
We keep forgetting that the one thing we should know is  
  
Don't be scared  
  
To fly alone  
  
Find a path that is your own  
  
Love will open every door  
  
See in your hands the world is yours  
  
Don't hold back and always know  
  
All the answers you will unfold  
  
What are you waiting for  
  
Spread your wings and soar  
  
The boy who wonders, is he good enough for them  
  
Keep trying to please them all  
  
But he just never seems to fit in  
  
Then there's the girl who thinks she'll never ever be  
  
Good enough for him  
  
He's trying to change and  
  
That's a game she'll never win  
  
In life there will be times when you're feeling low  
  
And in your mind insecurities seem to take control  
  
We start to look outside ourselves  
  
For acceptance and approval  
  
We keep forgetting that one thing we should know is  
  
Don't be scared  
  
To fly alone  
  
Find a path that is your own  
  
Love will open every door  
  
See in your hands the world is yours  
  
Don't hold back and always know  
  
All the answers they will unfold  
  
What are you waiting for  
  
Spread your wings and soar  
  
In the mirror is where she comes  
  
Face to face with her fears  
  
Her reflection looked forward on to her  
  
After all these years  
  
However how she's tried to be  
  
Something besides herself  
  
Now time has passed and she's ended up  
  
Somewhere else with regret  
  
What is it is that makes us feel the need  
  
To keep pretending  
  
Gotta let ourselves be  
  
Don't be scared  
  
To fly alone  
  
Ooooooooooh!  
  
Find a path that is your own  
  
Love will open every door  
  
See in your hands the world is yours  
  
Don't hold back and always know  
  
All the answers you will unfold  
  
Don't wait no more  
  
Spread your wings and soar  
  
Find your road  
  
Love will open every door  
  
See in your hands the world is yours  
  
Don't look back in the window, you'll find your way  
  
Always know all the answers will unfold  
  
Oh don't wait  
  
Spread your wings and soar  
  
Don't wait no more  
  
You've got to soar  
  
Spread your wings and soar  
  
Don't wait no more  
  
No don't you wait no more  
  
Spread your wings and soar  
  
You've can soar  
  
So what you waiting for  
  
Don't wait, Don't wait  
  
Soar--  
  
Brianna finished the song and saw her mother and little brother, Jason, standing up cheering wildly. She smiled, blushing slightly. The others in the assembly room cheered wildly as well. Brianna bowed and thanked everyone, her face red from happniess. She slowly walked off stage, but saw the flashing and deadly glare of Mad Dog.  
  
"You'll regret this..." he growled.  
  
:: End of Flashback ::  
  
Brianna wept for the loss of Mad Dog. Tears streamed down her face, and at the same time no one ever expected her to weep for the man who raped her. Brianna could never forgive him for what he's done to her, but at the same time... She had finally gotten the closure she had always needed. She looked up at the sky, tears shining on her cheeks, and smiled.  
  
Brianna suddenly felt two hands on her shoulders. She turned to see Squid standing behind her, smiling. She should have known better than to think he would listen to her. "Are you ok?" he asked Brianna.  
  
Brianna smiled and kissed Squid on the mouth. "I'm fine..."  
  
"Good," Squid said, kissing her back.  
  
"Marcus," Brianna whispered up at the clear, blue sky. "Spread your wings and soar..." 


End file.
